


Of Gingerbread and Snow Globes

by sarahkwut



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018) RPF
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:15:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 62,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27928129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahkwut/pseuds/sarahkwut
Summary: Nicholas Scratch begrudgingly helps his grandmother move back to her hometown of Greendale. He's got a high powered job and is used to the big city lifestyle. The small town life isn't for him, but he promised his grandmother he would stay through the holidays.Enter, Sabrina Spellman, international journalist and soon-to-be author who happens to love Greendale - and all of its holiday traditions. She's not trying to change Nick's mind about the place, but they do seem to keep crossing paths...
Relationships: Nicholas Scratch/Sabrina Spellman
Comments: 114
Kudos: 151





	1. Hilda's

**Author's Note:**

> I've had my Christmas tree up since November 1 which is about the time I started watching cheesy Christmas movies which inevitably inspired a mini Nabrina Christmas fic which is entirely self-indulgent. I hope you enjoy!

Nicholas Scratch looked up at the old home before him with dismay.

“Seriously, Amalia?”

“What’s got your boxer briefs in a twist now?” his grandmother asked. She came to stand beside him, a box held between her hands. She adored her grandson, but she wouldn’t hate it if he stubbed his toe or shut a finger in the car door at the moment.

“This is where you’re choosing to live?” He waved his hand at the simple farmhouse before him. It needed a fresh coat of paint, new shutters, probably new windows, too. A landscaper hadn’t been around in years judging by the dead bushes and patches of dirt throughout the yard. A field – with cows – extended from one side. He could see a house and what looked to be several outbuildings – barns? – on the other side of it. “Amalia, there are cows.”

“You eat cows,” she reminded him. “You’re quite fond of steak, if I remember correctly.” Nick glared. She tilted her head towards the farm next door. “That’s the Putnam place. I’d bet any burger you get in this town comes from there.”

“I like not knowing where my meat comes from,” he stated. A big black cow stood near the fence. He avoided making eye contact with it. He took the box from Amalia to prevent her from carrying it. She, of course, returned to the trunk of his luxury SUV to get another one.

“That must be why you spend so much money on grass-fed, free range, ground beef laced with gold and unicorn hair. So you don’t know where it comes from.”

“I just don’t get it,” Nick changed tactics. He wasn’t in the mood for her poking at his preference for pasture raised beef. “Your apartment in New York was prime real estate…”

“Made selling it real easy,” Amalia agreed as she passed him with a box. He had no choice but to follow her. “I made quite the mint on that place, didn’t I?”

“Why here though?” he continued. “Why leave the city where everything you could ever want or need was right there at your fingertips for an old house in the middle of nowhere? I didn’t even see a grocery store when we drove in.”

“The grocery store is on Main Street. You drove right past it. You would have seen it if you hadn’t been so busy complaining about the audacity of an elderly man to drive his truck the speed limit.”

“He had a farm use tag and he was going ten miles under the speed limit!”

“As for why I chose to live here, this is my home, Nicholas,” she told him as they walked. “This is where I grew up, where I met your grandfather, fell in love, got married. We moved off to New York to pursue our dreams. Those dreams came true. New York was good to us, to me. But I have had my fill of it. I want to live out my twilight years in my hometown where so many of my best memories began.” They stopped at the door. She placed her box on top of his, ignored his grunt at the added weight, and dug a set of keys out of her pocket. “It’s sheer dumb luck that the home I grew up in was on the market.”

Nick bit back his colorful commentary about how it was pretty clear to him why the house was still on the market more than a year after it went up for sale and why she had gotten it for what she called a “steal” but he thought was highway robbery. His grandmother was excited about the place and while he didn’t understand it, all he could do was help her move in.

“The moving truck should be here in an hour or so,” he said as he followed her inside. “We need to go to that grocery store, get at least the essentials for the night and breakfast tomorrow. Maybe pick up some cleaning supplies while we’re at it. This place could use a deep scrub. I’m assuming you remembered to have the power turned on?” He put down the boxes in the entry hall and rubbed his arms. “Does this place even have heat? It’s freezing.”

Amalia flipped a switch. An overhead light blazed to life in the entryway.

“Look at that. The old lady remembered to have her power turned on.” She sniffed the air. “Smells like Pine-Sol. Bet that’s from those pesky cleaners I had come in and deep clean the place. I wouldn’t have hired them if I’d known my grandson was planning to do it for free.”

Night sighed.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, recognizing he needed to reel it in. “It’s been a long day and we still need to unload…”

“It’s barely the afternoon,” Amalia commented. “It was a two-and-a half hour drive from New York, and I hired movers for a reason.” She patted his cheek. He had been wound tight since before the movers showed up at her New York City apartment early that morning. “You worry too much, my boy.”

“You don’t worry enough,” he grumbled.

“So serious,” she quipped. “Just like your father. His fretting used to drive your mother crazy.”

“She was a bit of a free spirit, wasn’t she?” Nick asked with a faint smile as he recalled his mother. He gave his grandmother a pointed look. “I wonder where she got that from?” Amalia just smiled brightly.

“Maybe some of our free spirit charm will wear off on you,” she said. “You could certainly stand to lighten up.” Nick scowled. She turned towards the door and waved her hand for him to follow. “Now come along. We have a few boxes left. Let me know if you see a nice fat cow you like, won’t you? I’ll tell Mr. Putnam we want that one for dinner.”

“Dear God,” Nick muttered.

“I sure hope you perk up,” Amalia continued as she led the way down the sidewalk. There was a spring in her step he couldn’t deny. She, at least, was thrilled with her decision to move back to her hometown. “This is my favorite time of the year, and you’re going to make it miserable with all that complaining you’re doing if you plan to stick around.”

“Someone has to help you settle in,” Nick grumbled. “And I’m that someone.”

Amalia looked over her shoulder and observed her grandson. Handsome and successful, she found herself wondering more and more often if he was actually happy. He worked far too hard, was wound so tight so often that she wondered what would happen if he ever actually snapped. She had a sneaking suspicion his blood pressure would be through the roof if he ever stopped long enough to have it checked, simply because he was so high strung. She harbored a secret home that the next month or so he planned to spend in Greendale would help him settle down, relax a bit. It was a long shot, but she had to hope.

“How fortunate am I that you’re that someone?” she quipped. “Grab a box, my boy. We have a home to set up.”

* * *

Nick wandered behind his grandmother, reading emails on his phone as he went. He had learned quickly that he didn’t have great service at her place and the cable and internet weren’t due to be installed for another three days. Amalia was content to do without, but he was finding it increasingly difficult to survive in the house forty-eight hours into his stay without any real connection to the outside world. Working was next to impossible

“We’ll be taking a left just up here,” Amalia said over her shoulder. “If I remember correctly, there is a step or two you will have to make your way up, might want to look up from that phone screen for that part so you don’t trip.”

Nick sighed and lifted his eyes from his phone.

“I’m trying to answer emails,” he informed her. “Now that I have service, I need to get some work done.”

“Work will be there tomorrow,” she dismissed. It was the same phrase she had thrown at him several times over the last two days. It was only Monday afternoon, but he was officially behind by his standards. “Ah, here’s the turn I warned you about!” He glanced up from his phone once more to see his grandmother pause in front of a cheery store front. He glanced up at the sign hanging out over the street.

_Hilda’s._

Hilda Spellman’s place. His grandmother’s longtime best friend. He had never met the woman, but he felt like he knew her after all of these years of hearing Amalia reminisce about her. He had even answered the phone when she called a time or two. But whenever his grandmother had visited Greendale or Hilda had come to her in New York, he was anywhere else.

“You will never look at a baked good the same way after you have anything Hilda makes,” Amalia said as she climbed the two steps. “I don’t know what this woman does…”

His phone screen lit up. The number belonged to a client.

“I’ll be in in a minute,” he said as he slid his finger across the finger to answer. “I have to take this.”

Amalia watched him lift the phone to his ear and greet whomever was on the other end with a professional voice that sounded nothing like her grandson. She shook her head and went inside without him. She was barely through the door when a familiar voice filled the space.

“Amalia!”

Hilda was on her before she could reply.

“Hilda, dear!”

The two old friends hugged one another hard.

“I am so glad you stopped by!” Hilda exclaimed. “I was planning to drop by with some pastries on my way home this evening. I let you have a couple of days to get settled, but I just couldn’t go another day with my best friend living in the same town as me once more and not seeing her!”

“Why do you think I stopped by?” Amalia replied. “I have desperately needed a Hilda fix.”

“You have come to the right place. I have coffee, pastries… and myself, of course!” The two friends giggled like schoolgirls, both fantasizing about the days ahead when they could meet for lunch or spend afternoons crafting or sipping tea. Amalia’s attention was stolen, however, by the petite blonde that appeared from a door labeled ‘staff only.’ She gasped.

“That cannot be Sabrina!” She pulled out of Hilda’s embrace. “Absolutely no way! She is supposed to be a tiny thing!”

“Hi Amalia,” the girl – now a young lady – beamed. “It’s been so long!”

“Yes! Yes it has!” Amalia pulled Sabrina into a big hug. When she pulled away, she held her at arm length and took her in. She hadn’t seen the girl in ten years but kept up with her through Hilda and social media. Photos didn’t do her justice. “I just cannot believe it! You’re so grown up!” She looked over at HIlda. “She is the spitting image of Diana.”

“Isn’t she?” Hilda agreed. “Acts just like Edward though.” Sabrina gave her aunt a look that Hilda fondly ignored.

“The last I heard, you were in some far away country reporting on some incredibly important story,” Amalia said.

“I was,” Sabrina confirmed. “But I decided it was time to come home. I’ve been gone from Greendale for far too long. I missed it.”

“She’s writing a book,” Hilda said proudly. Sabrina shook her head with a smile. Her aunts loved to brag about her. Zelda did it in a humble brag sort of way while Hilda did it openly and loudly. “Where is that grandson of yours? Isn’t he staying with you for a bit?”

“Oh Nicholas is outside on a call pretending to be more important than he actually is,” Amalia waved her hand. “He will be in shortly I suppose. I would go ahead and order something for him, but he has such superior tastes that I’m sure I wouldn’t get it correct.”

Sabrina frowned a bit. This grandson of hers sounded like a handful.

“Well, no matter,” Hilda dismissed. “We can get him whatever he likes when he comes in. What would you like, Amalia? I made the most delightful bear claws this morning…” Hilda started to drift to the counter.

“No, I’ve got it,” Sabrina insisted. “You go sit down and visit with Amalia.” She took their orders and disappeared behind the counter to make their drinks and fetch their pastries, careful to stay out of the way of the employees that were working to keep the rest of the busy cafe fed and caffeinated.

The door swung open, causing the bell over it to ring. She glanced at the new arrival out of habit.

Her eyes widened.

The guy that stood just inside the door, his coat and hair peppered with the light snow that had started to fall, was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. He wasn’t especially tall, but he was solid and certainly lived up to the “dark and handsome” moniker.

“Who is that?” came a voice by her ear.

“I have no idea,” Sabrina answered her cousin. “Where did you come from anyway?”

“Half-day at school,” Ambrose answered. “I needed caffeine and a fat-filled pastry to get through the grading ahead of me this afternoon.”

“I still can’t believe they let you teach children.”

“Ludicrous, isn’t it?” He helped himself to a pastry in the case. The staff paid neither of them any attention. They were used to the Spellmans coming and going as they pleased.

Sabrina watched the stranger perk up as he recognized whomever he came to meet. She watched him as he made his way over to Amalia and Hilda who were chatting animatedly. She smacked Ambrose’s arm to get his attention. He cursed her as the coffee he was pouring sloshed onto the counter.

“He’s Amalia’s grandson!”

“What?” he asked as he mopped up the mess with a towel.

“The stranger, he’s Amalia’s grandson!” She waved towards the table where Amalia was introducing the guy to Hilda who was hugging him as hard as Amalia had hugged her. He looked entirely uncomfortable.

“Bag him,” Ambrose advised.

“Ambrose!”

“Don’t look so scandalized, cousin. You need a good bang, and you have an in.”

“They let you teach children,” she repeated. Ambrose shrugged and drifted away to say hello to Amalia – and her grandson. Sabrina followed at a slower rate with a tray held between her hands.

“I just can’t get over it!” Hilda was saying. “You were but a tot the one time I met you while visiting Amalia. Now you’re all grown up!”

“That happens,” Nick said with far more patience than he had. He had thought he might be able to sit in the corner and get some work done while his aunt and her old friend rambled, but Hilda Spellman seemed to have other intentions for him. “You have a wonderful cafe.”

“My pride and joy, second only to my family,” Hilda told him. She spied Sabrina. “Ah! Our pastries!”

Nick turned. His eyes fell on a petite woman with white blond hair and ruby red lips. Her skin was perfect porcelain. She smiled brightly and he thought the rest of the room may have actually disappeared for a moment.

“As ordered,” Sabrina quipped as she carefully set the tray down. Amalia was wrapped up in greeting Ambrose as warmly as she had greeted Sabrina. “I warmed up the scone just a bit. It’s best warm.”

“That it is,” Hilda agreed. She noted how Nicholas was looking at her niece. “Sabrina, dear, this is Amalia’s grandson, Nicholas. Nicholas, this is my niece, Sabrina.”

“Sabrina,” Nick repeated as he extended his hand. Even her name was perfect. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well, Nicholas,” she replied. He still had her hand.

“Please, call me Nick.”

“Nick,” she repeated. He let go of her hand, but he kept his eyes on her.

“Sabrina, why don’t you show Nicholas the pastry case?” Hilda proposed. “And make him a drink if he would like one. Nicholas, love, help yourself to anything you’d like.”

“This way,” Sabrina tilted her head to indicate he should follow her. Nick was all too happy to do just that. “What will it be?” she asked as she slipped behind the counter and he stopped at the pastry case. It was full of every kind of baked good he could think of. His mouth watered. “I can make a recommendation if you’re overwhelmed by all the choices.” She smiled brightly and he wondered if her lips tasted like the cherry they looked like.

“What’s gluten-free?” he asked. She raised an eyebrow. “What?” She shook her head.

“Nothing.”

“Something,” he corrected.

“Nothing,” she insisted. “But I’m afraid your pastry options have been vastly reduced. We have blueberry muffins, brownies, and these cookies.” She pointed to a rather bland looking chocolate chip cookie compared to the rest of the case. “What’ll it be?”

“I’ll take the muffin,” Nick decided. “Blueberries make it healthy, right?”

“Sure,” Sabrina agreed. It was Nick that raised his eyebrow this time, but he didn’t comment. “What do you want to drink?”

“An oat milk vanilla latte, extra shot, extra hot, biggest version you’ve got,” Nick rattled off.

“Sorry, we don’t have oat milk,” Sabrina replied.

“Coconut?” Sabrina shook her head. “Almond?” Sabrina shook her head again. “Soy?”

“That we have,” she confirmed. She turned her back to retrieve it from the small fridge. “If you like your latte made with water,” she muttered to herself. He was handsome, but she thought he might also be a bit high maintenance. “So,” she began as she turned back to face him and began working on his drink, “you’re helping Amalia move in?”

“I am,” he confirmed. “I’m going to stick around through the holidays, make sure she gets settled in okay. And now that I’ve seen where she’s living, oversee some upgrades.”

“Such as?” Sabrina questioned.

“Well, I don’t have time to raze the place and start over, so a fresh coat of paint, some new windows, that kind of thing. Oh, and a bathroom remodel. My God, does she need a bathroom remodel.” He noted that Sabrina was working not to grin. “What?” he asked again.

“Amalia’s house is amazing. I’ll agree that it could use a fresh coat of paint, but it’s not deserving of a total raze.”

“Agree to disagree,” Nick said. He leaned on the counter to wait. “So, you work here?”

“Not really. I came in earlier to set up at a table to get some work done, but Hilda was working on Thanksgiving-themed sugar cookies and I like to help decorate them, so here we are.”

“What kind of work do you do?” Nick continued his questioning as Sabrina flipped a button on the machine to make espresso.

“Until a few weeks ago, I was working as an international journalist. I’ve spent the last six years traveling the world, meeting people, telling their stories. Now, I’m writing a book on my experiences.”

“Impressive.” Nick could appreciate an accomplished woman. “What brought you back here? You can write anywhere.”

“It’s home,” Sabrina shrugged. She went to work steaming his soymilk. “I’ve missed my family, my friends. It was time to come home. I can think of no better place to write my story than where it all began.” She expertly poured the espresso into Hilda’s largest to-go cup. “What about you? What’s your line of work?”

“I’m a business analyst.”

“That’s vague,” Sabrina said.

“Vague how?”

“‘Business analyst’ could cover any number of things. Marketing, finance, acquisitions…”

“All the above in my case.” Sabrina thought he looked a little smug. “I’m the top analyst at my firm, have a waitlist of clients that want to work with me.”

Definitely smug.

And suddenly less attractive.

“It sounds like you’re a busy man,” she said diplomatically.

“Which means the lack of internet at Amalia’s, let alone the lack of phone service, is really interfering with my to-do list.” He looked around the bakery and noted a few people working on laptops. “This place has internet?”

“This place is the go-to place in Greendale for coffee, baked goods, and a solid place to work,” Sabrina confirmed as she frothed his milk. Not that it would froth the way actual milk would.

“Good to know,” he nodded appreciatively. He watched her pour the frothed milk into his cup. “So where all have you been?”

“More like where haven’t I been.” She left it there and slid his drink across the bar to him. “Lids are there.” She nodded towards a stack nearby, next to a station that held every form of sugar, sugar substitute, flavor, and cream known to mankind. “And here’s your muffin.” Nick frowned slightly. She seemed – cooler. “I’m going to wash my hands. I’ll be over to join Amalia and Hida in a minute.”

She had dismissed him. He watched her walk away for a moment, confused about her subtle shift in demeanor, before he put a lid on his coffee and picked up the plate with his muffin. She was already settling in next to Hilda when he returned.

“Ah, Nicholas, what did you find?” Hilda asked.

“A muffin and a soy latte,” he answered politely. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Hilda nodded kindly.

“Soy?” Amalia questioned.

“I don’t do dairy,” Nick reminded her. Her response was to hum. Sabrina grinned into her own coffee.

“Yes, well, we do try to keep a few allergen-friendly items on hand,” Hilda said. “It’s such a trend these days. Amalia, do you remember when we were much younger…”

The two friends fell back into reminiscing.

“So, Nicholas, enjoying Greendale so far?” Ambrose asked, realizing it was on him and Sabrina to draw Nick into conversation. Although he seemed perfectly happy to look at his phone.

“It’s – slower than what I’m used to,” Nick answered diplomatically.

“Greendale does move slow,” Ambrose said. “You come to appreciate it eventually.”

Nick’s phone rang out. He looked at the screen and started to push back from the table.

“Sorry,” he apologized as he stood. “It’s a client. I have to…” He didn’t finish the sentence. He had already lifted the phone to his ear and was walking away. Amalia glanced over her shoulder at him, shook her head in dismay, and turned back to Hilda.

“He must be important,” Ambrose muttered just loud enough for Sabrina to hear.

“At least he has the manners to take his call outside,” Sabrina replied in a similar tone.

“Seems a bit high maintenance,” Ambrose continued.

“To say the least.”

“Won’t he be cold?” Hilda fretted, peering around Amalia to observe Nick pacing on the sidewalk outside. “He left his coat…”

“He’ll be fine.” Amalia didn’t bother to look over her shoulder. “With any luck, some wayward child will pelt him with a snowball or two while he’s out there.”

“There’s no snow,” Ambrose pointed out.

“A girl can dream,” Amalia declared. Sabrina snickered. Even Hilda cracked a smile. Amalia sighed and let some of her true feelings on her grandson reflect on her features. “He needs a good dose of reality, that one. I love him dearly and he’s all I have left, but sometimes I want to shake him.”

She left it there and she and Hilda returned to reminiscing. Sabrina continued to watch Nick for a few more minutes. She sighed and wished she wasn’t the bleeding heart her aunt Zelda was always accusing her of being.

“I’ll be right back.” She stood and gathered Nick’s coat. She stepped out and swore it was colder than it had been when she arrived at Hilda’s a couple of hours ago.

“I understand that, but the numbers aren’t on your side, Mr. Franklin,” he was saying. “It’s not a sound business decision, no matter how badly you want it to be. This is what you pay me for…”

“Thought you might need this.” Sabrina held his coat out to him. He paused and looked surprised to find her there. “It’s cold out.”

He accepted the coat as he listened to Mr. Franklin try to argue with facts about his latest business idea that was, in every way, a terrible one.

“Thank you,” he mouthed.

“You’re welcome,” she replied with a smile.

He watched her walk back inside.

“Nicholas?” came Mr. Franklin's clipped tone. “Are you listening to me?”

“Yes, sorry,” he replied as he cradled the phone to slide into his coat. “I’m listening.”

He turned to resume pacing, but his eyes fell on the table with his grandmother, Hilda, Sabrina, and her cousin whose name had slipped his mind. The four of them were laughing heartedly. And, he thought, a hell of a lot warmer than he was. He sighed, returned to pacing the sidewalk, and tried to convince one of his wealthiest clients not to sink his business.


	2. A Spellman Thanksgiving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always wanted a Spellman Thanksgiving... 
> 
> (Forgive the French if its wrong - I used Google...)

Sabrina wandered into the kitchen, drawn by the scent pumpkin. She found Hilda seated at the table with papers and cookbooks spread everywhere. The counters were piled high with plates and dishes.

“There is fresh chocolate chip pumpkin bread straight from the oven on the counter,” Hilda greeted.

“Bless you.” Sabrina helped herself to a thick slice, placed it on a napkin, and hopped up on the counter to eat it. “This might be the best part about being home. The constant string of baked goods.”

“I’m just glad to have you home, love,” Hilda said. “We’ve missed you.”

“It’s so good to be home,” Sabrina agreed. “What are you doing here anyway? Not that I’m not thrilled to find you baking in our kitchen like old times.” It was still weird to her that both Hilda and Ambrose had moved out of the mortuary over the last few years, Hilda in with Cee after their wedding, Ambrose into a place of his own on Main Street.

“Thanksgiving planning,” Hilda answered. “I couldn’t trust Zelda to give me an adequate inventory of the dish and cookware. I forget what I took with me, what’s here, let alone what she’s broken in my absence.”

“She threw away a pan last week,” Sabrina reported. “She burned something so badly I couldn’t identify what it was. It was just easier to toss the pan than try to save it.”

“I don’t know how she feeds herself,” Hilda shook her head.

“The casseroles you send home with her and takeout,” Sabrina said. “Which is, incidentally, also how I’m feeding myself.”

“I taught you how to cook.”

“And I do sometimes. Those are the nights in which Zelda does, in fact, eat well.” Hilda chuckled and opened another cookbook. Sabrina took in the sheer amount of dinnerware stacked near her.

“Hilda, how many people are you expecting for Thanksgiving anyway?”

“Well let’s see. There’s the four of us, of course.” Sabrina nodded. “Then Cee, naturally. Marie will be here with Zelda. Prudence with Ambrose. I invited her sisters as well.”

“Yay,” Sabrina said dryly.

“You know they have nowhere else to go,” Hilda reminded her. Sabrina begrudgingly agreed. “Amalia will be coming with Nicholas, of course.”

“Nick’s coming?” Sabrina asked.

“With Amalia,” Hilda repeated with a single nod as she wrote ‘marshmallows’ down on her lengthy shopping list.

“Well then I hope some of those recipes are gluten and dairy-free,” Sabrina quipped.

“I checked with Amalia after I noted he had a gluten-free muffin at the café. She said he has no actual food intolerances, just a personal preference.” She jotted down ‘flour’ at the mention of gluten. “What did you think of Nicholas, love?”

“Well, he's gorgeous,” Sabrina said without shame. “But he seems a bit high maintenance. Imagine getting a gluten-free muffin – and making a quip about how it must be healthier because it has fruit in it, mind you – when you could have had a double fudge chocolate peppermint brownie with crushed walnuts on top.”

“Amalia is worried about him,” Hilda confided. “She and I had lunch today. She doesn’t think he’s happy.”

“I wouldn’t be happy either if I were eating gluten-free blueberry muffins over brownies.”

“Be nice to him?” Hilda requested. She smiled. “Besides, I think he thinks you’re pretty.” Sabrina gave her a look. “I saw the way he looked at you when he first met you. He was intrigued.”

“I took him his coat yesterday, remember?” Sabrina asked. “I’ll be nice to him. Nice is my middle name. I’m too nice if you ask Zelda.”

“No, love, you are just the right mix of strong and kind,” Hilda corrected. “The best mix.” Sabrina smiled. She had missed Hilda building her up with her kind words. “Amalia is worried he’s lonely,” she continued. “He took the loss of his parents hard.”

“I know a thing or two about that,” Sabrina reminded her aunt. She had lost her own parents at ten years old.

“Exactly,” Hilda nodded. “Which makes you the right person to be kind with him, perhaps show him around Greendale? He’s going to be here through the end of the year. I’m sure he won’t want to spend all of his time hanging out with his grandmother.”

“You’re trying to set me up,” Sabrina accused.

“No, not at all. I just see two people who have a tragedy in common that may be able to bond.”

“I have a feeling Nicholas won’t want to talk about his dead parents,” Sabrina stated. “I don’t especially like talking about mine.”

“I’m not suggesting you ask him about them,” Hilda said. “Just pointing out something the pair of you have in common and Nicholas could use a friend while he’s in town.”

“Nick strikes me as a guy who is really invested in his job,” Sabrina said. “I think he might be occupied with work.”

“Everyone needs a break,” Hilda shrugged.

“Need any help?” Sabrina countered, eager to change the subject. It was as clear as day to her that Hilda Spellman was trying to set her up with Nicholas Scratch.

“Not right now,” Hilda shook her head. “But I wouldn’t hate the company to the grocery store tomorrow.”

“Sure thing,” Sabrina agreed as she slipped off the counter. “I’m going to go find a book and ignore my deadlines for a little longer.”

She was nearly out of the kitchen when Hilda spoke again.

“Sabrina?” She looked back at her aunt. Hilda smiled at her. “I’m so glad you’re home.” Sabrina smiled back.

“Me too, auntie,” she agreed. “Me too.”

* * *

“Well Nicholas, are you happy?”

“Thrilled,” Nick stated. “Welcome to the twenty-first century, Grandma.”

“I have had the internet before,” she reminded him.

“This house hasn’t,” he retorted. “The technician had to drill all kinds of holes to wire this place.”

“Yes, well, now you can work, and I can have some peace.” She hadn’t been especially bothered by the delay in installing her cable and internet, but after a couple of days of listening to Nick complain, she had called the company herself and managed to get an installer out earlier, a feat Nick hadn’t managed with his brusque attitude although he had certainly tried. “But after you sit down to dinner.”

“Greendale’s finest takeout,” Nick observed as his grandmother unloaded plastic bags of Styrofoam containers. He eyed the meals skeptically.

“Burgers and fries from Dr. Cerberus,” Amalia confirmed. “Hilda’s husband owns it.” She grinned. “Gets his beef from next door.” Nick sighed and rubbed his temple. Amalia chuckled. “Pour us something to drink?”

Nick did as he was told and joined his grandmother at the kitchen table. He opened his container with some hesitation. She hadn’t mentioned that she was picking up dinner and if she had, he doubted he would have ordered the greasy bacon cheeseburger and fries before him. He half expected to find a puddle of grease if he picked up the burger.

“You know, you could have made a healthier choice,” he ventured as he removed the bun from his burger. “Your cholesterol…”

“Is perfect,” Amalia said with her mouth full of burger. She swallowed. “Don’t play with your food Nicholas.”

“I’m not playing with it. You know I don’t eat gluten.” Amalia snorted.

“Why did you stop eating gluten?” she asked. “You’re not allergic and you certainly don’t have Celiac Disease.”

“It causes inflammation.”

“And dairy?”

“Same.”

“Yet the bourbon is fine?”

“The distillation process…”

“I’m not talking about the gluten content,” Amalia cut him off. “I’m talking about the alcohol. I’m no nutritionist but I’m sure bourbon causes your dreaded inflammation too.”

“I have my preferences,” Nick said, well aware she was actually talking about his tendency to overdue it on the bourbon when the occasion called for it. He stood and rummaged through a drawer for a fork. “Just like you have your preferences for British television and obscure needlepoint patterns.”

“Cross stitch,” she corrected. “Why are you need a fork?”

“To eat my burger.”

Amalia just shook her head and bit into hers. A glob of mayonnaise dripped onto her cheese-covered fries. She had, at least, left the cheese off of her grandson’s fries. Nick sat down once more. She watched him cut into his burger, but bit back the comment she wanted to make.

“What did you think of Hilda’s niece?” she asked conversationally.

“She’s hot,” Nick answered. Amalia scowled at his choice of words. He popped a fry in his mouth. It was a little salty, but not the worst thing he had ever had. “Nice of her to bring me my coat.”

“She’s a sweet girl,” Amalia said. “And don’t call a girl ‘hot.’ It’s disrespectful and you were raised better than that.” Nick kept his response to himself to maintain the piece. “You know, she lost her parents when she was ten. A plane crash. They were on their way home from Rome after Edward spoke at a medical conference. Hilda and her sister Zelda have raised her ever since.”

“Is this the part where I’m supposed to bond with her over our dead parents?” Nick asked.

“Just something the pair of you have in common,” Amalia said casually. “I don’t imagine it’s something either of you want to talk about, but it’s not often you meet someone who lost both of their parents suddenly too, is it?”

“Well, she might have bought me my coat, but she was a little cool towards me while she was making my drink.” He scrapped the cheese off his burger the best he could. Amalia eyed him.

“Seriously, Nicholas?”

“What?” he asked.

“Scrapping the cheese off your burger?”

“I appreciate that you remembered not to douse my fries in cheese,” he nodded towards her messy container. “But I could do without it on my burger, too.”

“That’s locally sourced cheese,” Amalia informed him. “This might be a small town, Nicholas, but the locals support one another. The Putnam farm next door supplied both the beef and the cheese to Cee. He gets his buns from the bakery in town.”

“I can appreciate their approach to sustainability,” he said diplomatically. “I just prefer not to eat dairy.” Amalia shook her head and took another big bite of her own burger. Her grandson had no idea what he was missing.

“As for Sabrina,” she continued, “you do tend to make one hell of a second impression.”

“You mean first impression,” Nick corrected.

“No, I mean second impression,” Amalia said. “You make quite the first impression. You’re too handsome for your own good. You reel them in, men and women alike.” She knew about and supported his desire to spend time with whomever he was attracted to. It was the quantity of attraction that concerned her. “But then you open your mouth, and the appeal wears off.”

Nick scowled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What did you say to Sabrina?” Amalia countered.

“I asked her if she worked at Hilda’s, she told me she’s writing a book. She asked what I did, I said I’m an analyst…”

“At a top firm, that you were the top consultant,” Amalia finished. “You might be impressed by your job, Nicholas, but no one else is.”

“I work really hard…”

“You work too hard,” Amalia corrected. “You have since your parents died.”

“Grandma…,” he warned. He knew where this conversation was going.

“I’m worried about you, Nicky,” she said. “I don’t think you’re happy.”

“I’m plenty happy…”

“You don’t have any friends.”

“I have friends…”

“And I don’t think I’ll live to see any great grandchildren because the prospect of you ever settling down seems outlandish.”

“I’m not ready to settle down,” Nick said. “And I don’t especially appreciate the conversation we’re having right.”

“Because you don’t like being called on your own shit,” Amalia accurately stated. “But I’ll drop it. I’m not telling you anything you haven’t been told before.”

A tense silence fell over the table as they ate. Nick finished off his food and closed up his container. He had hours of work to catch up on and his inbox was a disaster, but he didn’t mention his intentions to go up to his makeshift bedroom and work until he fell asleep. It would just start his grandmother up again. He tossed his trash and re-filled his water bottle.

“Be ready to leave at four tomorrow,” Amalia said as he made to exit the kitchen. Nick turned back to her.

“Where are we going?”

“To the Spellmans,” Amalia answered. “Hilda invited us to Thanksgiving.”

“We’re not eating here?” Nick clarified.

“No need for me to order my finest Thanksgiving meal,” she confirmed. “No need to dress up either, but do try not to look like a slob.” She gave him a long look. He hadn’t left the house all day, but he was in tailored slacks and a fitted dress.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Nick replied sardonically. He exited the kitchen and took the stairs two at a time. In his room, he settled on his bed and opened his laptop. He picked up his phone while he waited for it to boot up and absentmindedly opened Instagram. Without thinking about it too much, he typed ‘Sabrina Spellman’ into the search bar. He wasn’t even sure her last name was Spellman, but it was a place to start.

‘Spellman’ was her last name.

And she really had been everywhere.

He scrolled through her feed, taking in one photo after another of her in exotic locales, historical landmarks, beaches, jungles, even deserts. He tapped on the link in her bio. It took him to a travel blog that, despite her beautiful photos, left a lot to be desired from a design perspective. The URL was simply her name. He typed it into his laptop browser and found himself lost in post after post about her travels.

She really was a great writer.

It took him far longer than he meant for it to to pull himself away and get down to work.

He tried to focus on the sheet of numbers before him.

Except images of Sabrina Spellman traveling the world kept floating through his mind.

* * *

“They live in a mortuary.”

Nick had stopped in his tracks at the gate of the old Victorian the moment his eyes fell on the sign beside it. Amalia had built the place up to be big and grand and he supposed it was. But it was even more remote than Amalia’s and it resembled the setting of just about every horror movie he had ever seen.

“Hilda’s sister Zelda is an undertaker,” Amalia said, entirely unconcerned. “Hilda helped her for a long while before she decided to open her bakery. Ambrose helped out while he was in college. Sabrina helped with funerals when she was younger. Bit of a family business.”

“We’re going to be eating Thanksgiving dinner with dead people in the next room,” Nick stated.

“Technically they’re in the basement,” Amalia shrugged. “Can we go inside? It’s rather cold out.”

“Yeah, fine,” Nick sighed. They started up the path to the porch. “This is how _The Walking Dead_ started.”

“I’m pretty sure _The Walking Dead_ started with a car chase,” Amalia commented as they walked.

“You know what I mean,” Nick grumbled.

“Second impression,” Amalia warned. Nick just sighed. He stood back as Amalia rapped on the door. It was swung open a few moments later by a woman with red hair. She held a smoking stick in her right hand.

“Amalia,” she greeted with a tone that was both formal and welcoming. “So good to see you again. She air kissed Amalia’s cheeks. Nick found the gesture antiquated, but everything about this woman was refined. Her eyes fell on him. “And is this Nicholas?”

“That’s Nicholas,” Amalia confirmed. “I don’t believe you’ve ever met him, have you? Hilda had only met him the once and he was so young he doesn’t remember.”

“He certainly has grown up well,” Zelda said, eyes still on him. She took a puff of her cigarette and Nick shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He had been hit on by older people plenty of times, but this woman was looking at him like a predator. “Welcome, Nicholas.”

“Thank you,” he said politely.

“Now Zelda, remember, you’re spoken for.”

A stunning woman in bright dress appeared. She wrapped her arm around Zelda’s waist and kissed her cheek. They shared an intimate smile.

“Amalia, Nicholas, allow me to introduce my partner,” Zelda said. “This is Marie. Marie, this Amalia, Hilda’s dearest and longest friend. And this strapping young man is her grandson, Nicholas.”

“A pleasure,” the woman named Marie greeted them kindly.

There was a loud crash from somewhere in the house followed by howling laughter.

“Ambrose!” shrieked a voice he was willing to bet belonged Sabrina.

“Out!” came another voice, this one he was certain belonged to Hilda. “Both of you! Out of my kitchen!”

“I swear,” Zelda shook her head. “Sabrina comes home and it's like they are six and ten all over again.”

“You love it,” Marie teased.

“It was rather quiet around here,” she said by way of answering.

Sabrina appeared in the hallway then and Nick realized he had forgotten how beautiful she was. At Hilda’s café a few days earlier, she had been dressed down in jeans and a turtleneck. Today, she wore a soft navy blouse tucked into a miniskirt that was just shy of too tight. She walked confidently in her heeled boots and he thought it was a damned shame her legs were covered by tights. She was, of course, wearing that red lipstick again.

“Amalia, Nicholas,” she greeted brightly. “Welcome!”

“Ah, Sabrina.” Amalia reached for a hug. “You look beautiful, darling.”

“Thank you.” Sabrina returned her hug in kind. “Your hair looks stunning.”

“Oh, well, I washed it today,” Amalia joked, making Sabrina laugh.

“Sabrina,” Nick greeted with a slight nod of his head.

“Nicholas,” she replied, returning the gesture. “Can I take your coats?”

“Ever the hostess,” Zelda observed to Marie as Amalia and Nick shrugged off their coats. “She’s like Hilda in that way.”

“How is Hilda getting along with the cooking?” Amalia asked. “I’ve asked a half dozen times if there was anything I could bring or help with and she outright refused.”

“Thanksgiving is Hilda’s Super Bowl,” Sabrina answered. “Ambrose and I were hardly allowed to set the table.”

“And it seems that went swimmingly,” Zelda quipped.

“He’s an idiot,” Sabrina informed her aunt. “And if the dessert forks are in the wrong place, it’s on him.” Zelda just shook her head.

Ambrose appeared then.

“Ah, Nicholas!” he greeted, taking in how the new arrival stood with his hand stuffed into his pockets with an entirely uncomfortable look on his face. “You look like a man that could use a drink.”

“Please,” Nick agreed. Finally someone who spoke some sense.

“Right this way,” Ambrose waved him towards the parlor. “What’ll it be? I’m sure we have it. I’m in charge of the bar come the holidays and I keep it well-stocked. Only way to get through this mess.” He whirled his finger to indicate the whole setting.

“He’s not entirely wrong,” Zelda muttered. Sabrina snorted back a laugh.

“Bourbon, neat,” Nick answered.

“Excellent choice,” Ambrose nodded. “I approve. Bourbon my drink of choice as well. Or perhaps a good scotch.”

“Which is the same thing,” Sabrina stated.

“Don’t start woman,” Ambrose warned. “You know damned well they aren’t the same.”

“They are both whiskey,” Sabrina said.

“They have different…”

“Sabrina, stop winding him up,” Zelda broke in. “Ambrose, go pour Nicholas a drink.”

“Make me a gimlet?” Sabrina called after Ambrose’s retreating back.

“Make it yourself, cousin,” he called back without looking over his shoulder as he led Nick away from the women. Sabrina chuckled and moved towards the coat closet to hang Nick and Amalia’s coats.

“Six and ten,” Zelda muttered again. “Six and ten.” She ushered Amalia and Marie towards the kitchen, leaving Sabrina to hang the coats and make her way into the parlor where most of their guests were gathered. Her eyes fell on Nick. He stood to himself with a fresh pour of bourbon in his hand. With his guard down, he looked uncertain. She approached him.

“For the record, I know scotch and bourbon aren’t the same,” she said. “But they _are_ both whiskey, so my argument isn’t wrong.”

“I can follow your logic,” Nick agreed. “For the record? I reminded Ambrose you asked for a gimlet. He said you are capable of pouring your own gin.”

“I’ve really missed pushing his buttons,” Sabrina said with a fond grin in her cousin’s direction.

“I can make you one,” he heard himself offering. “Ambrose said it’s an open bar and I happen to know my way around a bar cart.”

“I really can pour my own,” Sabrina said. “I just wanted to ruffle Ambrose’s feathers.”

“Allow me,” Nick said. “Consider it a thank you for inviting my grandma and I tonight.” He didn’t wait for her response. He went to the bar and reached for a bottle of good gin. Sabrina watched him expertly mix the gin, lime juice, and simple syrup. He poured the drink, impressed by the fact that the Spellmans had every proper piece of drinkware, and held it out to her. “Try that.”

Sabrina accepted the drink and took a sip. It was perfect.

“I approve,” she nodded. “Bartender in the past?”

“Just a frequent bar attendee, at least back in the day,” he answered. He didn’t have time for hanging around bars unless he was with clients these days. He moved around the cart to stand beside her. He observed the room. Several people mulled around, and he could hear others throughout the house. “How many people are here anyway?” he asked.

“Well, it started out with a relatively tame list of ten,” Sabrina explained. “But when I went over to the Putnam farm to pick up Hilda’s turkey…” Nick pursed his lips. Was the Putnam farm the only place to get meat in Greendale? “...Mr. Putnam mentioned needing to put his own turkey in the sink to thaw and I remembered he’s a terrible cook, so I invited him as well as his son Theo – who happens to be one of my best friends – and Theo’s boyfriend, Robin. Then Zelda invited Father Blackwood – who no one, not even his daughter, Prudence, she’s Ambrose’s girlfriend, likes – and he has twin teenagers, Judas and Judith.”

“Judas?” Nick repeated.

“Exactly,” Sabrina nodded seriously. Nick grinned at her wit. “Ambrose ran into his ex-boyfriend, Luke, at the grocery store, they got to talking, and now Luke is here with his new boyfriend because they were planning on Chinese takeout and that’s unacceptable.”

“Of course,” Nick humored her.

“Hilda and I were at the grocery store yesterday – she has this whole thing about grocery shopping for Thanksgiving the morning of the day before, even though the store is chaotic. She thinks it’s great fun when it’s actually a disaster and takes forever – and we ran into Melvin and his wife Elsbeth. I went to high school with them and we were catching up, Hilda noted what they had in their cart, deemed their groceries an unacceptable holiday meal, and invited them as well. So we went from ten to, I think, twenty, mostly due to unacceptable other plans.”

“No partridge in a pear tree?” Nick asked.

“They come for Christmas,” Sabrina said seriously, making Nick chuckle. “This is the first time I’ve been home for Thanksgiving in four years and I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend it.”

“It’s just been Amalia and I the last few years,” Nick said. “She’s not much of a cook, but she can order in like it’s her job, even here where the options are limited.”

“There are plenty of great places to eat here,” Sabrina informed him. “You just have to know where to look.”

Nick remembered what Amalia said about ‘second impressions.’ He opened his mouth to backtrack his comment – at least slightly because he didn’t think he was wrong – when Hilda’s voice rang out through the house, calling everyone to dinner.

“We’re eating in the dining room,” she said to Nick. “Follow me.”

He took in the eclectic house as they passed through the hall. It was full of antiques, artwork. He could sense that it held a lot of history. It reminded him a bit of a museum. Part of him wanted to look around. The rest of him remembered it was a mortuary.

In the living room, the table was weighted down with dishes and formally set. Hilda was directing traffic. “Sabrina, you’re here,” she pointed to a seat next to where Zelda had settled at the head of the table. “Nicholas, you’re beside her.” Sabrina shot Hilda a pointed look that Hilda diligently ignored. “Ambrose? Next to Marie, across from Nicholas. Prudence, next to him…”

Nick moved to his assigned seat. There was even a place card with his name scrawled in elegant penmanship. He politely pulled Sabrina’s chair out for her and hoped his grandmother saw his gentlemanly gesture from her spot at the opposite end of the table.

Dinner commenced with the arrival of the biggest turkey Nick had ever seen. Amalia caught his eye and mouthed the word ‘Putnam.’ He rolled his eyes and looked away, making her chuckle. Dishes were passed and he made his selections carefully.

“Rolls, Nicholas?” Zelda asked, passing a breadbasket to Sabrina who happily took two.

“No, thank you,” he said politely as he passed the basket to the person next to him – Judas, a surly boy who spoke very little.

“I suppose you didn’t get those broad shoulders by eating carbs, did you?” Zelda purred.

“Just a personal preference is all,” Nick said, a bit uncomfortable.

“Auntie,” Sabrina warned. Zelda shrugged and poured gravy on her potatoes. Nick let the gravy boat pass him by as well. While his plate was largely turkey, ham, and vegetables, he noted Sabrina had piled her plate with a bit of everything. She cleared it and had seconds. He was begrudgingly impressed with her appetite.

“Dessert, I think,” Hilda chirped once she was satisfied everyone had eaten their share. “It’s laid out in the kitchen buffet style. Help yourselves!”

Sabrina pushed back from her seat, eager to ensure she got a slice of her favorite pie. Nick, however, moved a lot slower.

“Trust me, Nicholas, you want to get into that kitchen,” she told him. “Hilda’s desserts wait for no one.”

“I’m not much of a sweets guy,” he said by way of explanation.

“You’re missing out,” she said. She flitted away.

“Skipping dessert?” came his grandmother’s voice.

“I don’t…”

“Eat sweets.” She rolled her eyes. “You used to love a good cookie from Levain.”

“Then I learned what sugar does to the body,” Nick stated.

“You watched one Netflix documentary,” Amalia countered. “Fine. I hope you enjoyed your plate of turkey and green beans.” She left the room and followed the masses to the kitchen. She eyed the dessert table, searching.

“Amalia?”

Sabrina was perched on the counter, out of the way of the hoard fighting for desserts. She held up a dessert plate with a piece of pie. Amalia beamed and made her way to the girl.

“Bless you, Sabrina Spellman,” she said. “Hilda’s sweet potato pie is like no other.”

“I heard you ask her if she was making it, so I snagged you a piece when I got mine. It’s my favorite too. And already gone from the table.”

“You really are a saint,” Amalia said as she dug into the pie. “Oh my God, it’s as good as I remember.”

“Same,” Sabrina agreed. “I told Hilda if I didn’t get a piece, she was going to have to make me my own after dinner was over.”

“I’d still have her make you one of your own,” Amalia advised between bites.

“I’m doing one better. She’s making me one this weekend – and teaching me how to make it.”

“Now that’s the smart way to do this,” Amalia nodded. “I told that grandson of mine to get to the dessert table before it was emptied, but he ‘doesn’t eat sweets.’ No idea where he slunk off to. Probably in a corner checking his email.”

“Well, there’s not a lot of gluten and dairy free options,” Sabrina said diplomatically. “Hilda goes all in…” Amalia scoffed.

“He can eat gluten and dairy. He’s just high maintenance.” Sabrina tried not to laugh. “You noticed, didn’t you?”

“He seems like he’s wound a little tight,” Sabrina admitted.

“Like an elastic band stretched to its limits,” Amalia nodded. “I’m just waiting for it to snap.”

“Different strokes for different folks as Hilda would say.”

“Indeed,” Amalia agreed. “I’m considering sneaking his phone off his nightstand one night after he falls asleep, just to see if he can make it through a morning without it.”

“Not a whole day?” Sabrina inquired.

“A whole day may well kill him,” Amalia replied. “He drives me crazy, but I’d like to keep him around.” Sabrina laughed again and continued conversing with Amalia as they finished off their pies. She helped herself to a couple of Hilda’s cookies, then set off through the house in search of Theo and Robin. She had barely had a chance to talk to them all night. She popped her head in the library in case they were there. It was empty.

Save for Nicholas Scratch.

He leaned against a shelf, a book open, his attention entirely captured by what he was reading. She watched him for a moment. His features were relaxed, his guard down. Somehow, he was even more attractive.

“Good book?” she asked.

He startled.

“Sabrina, hey.” He looked like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar. “I hope it's okay I’m in here. I went to the restroom and on the way back, I noticed the door was open.” He hadn’t had time to read for pleasure in ages, but the room had practically called his name. He had a book in hand before he knew it.

“It’s okay.” Sabrina stepped into the room. “We’re not really an ‘off limits’ house. Although we do try to keep mourners here for funerals from going upstairs where our bedrooms are.”

“Honestly? I was also hiding from Prudence’s sister. The red headed one. She’s – a lot.”

“Dorcas,” Sabrina nodded. “And she is.” She reached out and moved the book so she could see what he was reading. “ _Thus Spake Zarathustra._ Nietzsche. Interesting choice.”

“I like philosophy,” Nick confessed. “I minored in it in college.” He indicated the book. “Although Nietzsche is a bit egotistical in this as he prattles on.” Sabrina raised an eyebrow.

“Not a fan of Nietzsche’s comparison of life and wisdom to dancing women?”

“You’ve read this?” Nick countered.

“You read a lot when you spend most of your time on planes and in countries with minimal television access.”

“Fair point.” He closed the book and slipped it back on the shelf.

“You minored in philosophy?” she asked. She found that piece of information fascinating. It didn’t quite align with what she had seen of him so far. “What was your major? I’m guessing business.”

“Business,” Nick confirmed. “Double majored in that and Spanish.”

“You’re fluent in Spanish?”

“More like conversational,” Nick confessed. “I can hold my own, but if someone is talking too fast or using slang, I’m pretty much done for.” Sabina laughed a bit. He liked the sound of her laugh. It sounded like bells. “What about you? All that traveling, surely you picked up a language or two.”

“I’m fluent in French,” she confirmed. “Zelda’s doings. Marie speaks French and Zelda thought it would impress her if her little niece knew how to speak it. They weren’t even dating back then, but Zelda is nothing if not about appearances. Turns out, it came in handy. A lot of the African countries I spent time in speak French. I’m also conversational in Spanish, figured out some Italian because it sounded a lot like Spanish. And a little bit of German and Russian.”

Nick was sufficiently impressed.

“Say something in French,” he encouraged, well-aware that he was borderline flirting. She grinned.

“Je sais que vous pouvez manger du gluten et des produits laitiers.”

Nick frowned as he tried to digest both the words and how musical they sounded coming from those red lips of hers.

“What’s that mean?”

“You’ll have to learn French to find out.” Nick chuckled. Sabrina continued to study him. “Where did you go to college?”

He tried not to look too proud of himself.

“Harvard. Got my MBA there too.”

Sabrina thought he looked entirely too proud of himself.

“What about you?” he asked. “What school of higher education do you claim?”

“Columbia.”

“Journalism,” Nick nodded. Even he knew Columbia was the top program in the country. “You are quite the accomplished woman, Spellman.”

She blushed. She couldn’t believe it. She wasn’t the kind of girl that blushed.

“Everyone!” Hilda’s voice rang through the house. “Kitchen! It’s time for gingerbread!”

“Gingerbread?” Nick questioned. Sabrina was beaming.

“Gingerbread building house contest,” she informed him. “A Spellman Thanksgiving tradition. Anyone who is still in this house once the dessert is cleared has to participate.”

“But…”

“Sabrina!” Hilda called. “Where are you, love?”

“Come along, Scratch.”

Sabrina left the room and Nick had no choice but to follow. Amalia raised her eyebrow when she noted Sabrina and Nick enter the room together. Nick dutifully ignored her and leaned on the counter, content to stay in the background. The massive kitchen island that had previously held more desserts than he had ever seen in one place in his life was now practically bending with gingerbread and enough candy that he wondered which Spellman had knocked over the candy store – if there was one in this town.

“Having fun?” Amalia asked. She held a glass of wine and her cheeks were rosy. He couldn’t deny she looked happier than he had seen her in a long time.

“I was reading Nietzsche in the library,” he replied. “I was quite content to stay there, but I’m told I absolutely must participate in whatever is about to happen.”

“You’re about to participate in a gingerbread house building contest,” she informed him. “It’s a Spellman tradition. Hilda bakes all the gingerbread, Sabrina and Ambrose procure the candy, and Zelda participates against her will.”

“She and I have that in common,” Nick muttered. Amalia shot him a warning look.

“You will have a partner,” she told him. “They draw names out of a hat. You have two hours.”

“This sounds highly regulated for a gingerbread building contest.”

“The Spellmans aren’t known for friendly competitions,” Amalia said with a fond smile. Nick crossed his arms and decided to say nothing. It was best that way.

“That’s everyone then?” Hilda checked. “Lovely! Ambrose, why don’t you do the honor of drawing names this year?”

“I’d be happy to,” Ambrose drawled. He untangled himself from Prudence and accepted a hat from Hilda. “Let’s see…” he dug his hand in and pulled out a slip of paper. “Marie!” he announced. He dug his hand back in. “You’ll be paired with…” He read the name on the paper. “Father Blackwood.” He snorted. “That’s a pair.”

“Ambrose,” Zelda warned.

“Faustus dated Zelda back in the day,” Amalia leaned in to gossip to Nick. “It was as scandalous as it sounds.” Nick grunted in response. He could care less about small town gossip. Ambrose paired up Theo and Agatha, then Hilda and Judith.

“Next we have...” He read the name. “Sabrina.” Nick glanced across the room in time to see Sabrina perk up. “Who will have the misfortune of being pair up with her?” He made a show of shaking up the content of the hats. “Please not me… Please not me…”

“Ambrose!” Sabrina chastised. “Pick a damned name!”

Ambrose looked at her.

“Please not me,” he said again. Sabrina glared daggers. He reached in and pulled out another slip. His grin grew somehow even winder. “Nicholas! You get the joy of being stuck with her.” He jerked his thumb at Sabrina. “Poor lad.”

Nick thought it was the most favorable outcome available to him if he had to participate. Sabrina’s smile in his direction, which he returned with one of his own, proved that theory. Amalia saw the exchange. She grinned into her glass of wine. Leave it to her grandson to somehow end up partnered with the prettiest girl in the room.

“Ready, partner?” Sabrina appeared at his side the moment the last of the pairs had been called out. “We’ve only got two hours to build this thing.”

“Seriously, good luck,” Ambrose said to Nick as he passed. He already had his gingerbread. His partner, Elsbeth, tagged along behind him with a bag of icing. “You’re going to need it.” Sabrina made a face at him. He made one right back.

“Care to explain why Ambrose thinks I drew the short stick?” he asked Sabrina.

“The last time I was home for Thanksgiving, he and I got paired together,” Sabrina explained. “I’m a little competitive and I had a very clear vision that he did not share. Suffices to say we did not win. Our house didn’t even make it to the kitchen for judging.”

Nick chuckled.

“Well, lucky for you, I have never built a gingerbread house. I’m at your mercy.”

“Then let’s gather our supplies.”

Sabrina led the way to the kitchen island. Nick realized Hilda had assembled full kits for each pair. Extra candy was lined up in jars along the counter. Sabrina collected their kit, and he did the noble thing of taking it from her. She gathered up a heaping amount of extra candies.

“Trust me,” she said as she worked, “you want to secure the extra early on.” Nick chuckled again. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he was content to let her lead the way. “Now, we find a place to work. We have wasted a full five minutes gathering supplies.”

He followed her through the winding house. He wondered just how many rooms the place had. Just as he thought they were going outside on what he assumed was the back porch, Sabrina veered to the right.

“What is this place?” Nick asked, taking in the small room. It was lined with metal shelves that contained an assortment of canned vegetables and things he couldn’t identify. Dried flowers and herbs hung from nearly every surface and several plants peppered the space. A metal worktable was in the center of the room.

“This is Hilda’s botanical room,” Sabrina answered. “She may not live here anymore, but this is still her little place.”

“And what’s a botanical room?” Nick continued. He couldn’t figure out if he thought the room was dirty or clean.

“Hilda has a green thumb. She has these incredible gardens from spring through early fall. She can grow just about anything. She’s a bit of an herbalist, too. Can’t sleep? She has a tea for that. Can’t shake a head cold? Has one for that, too. Anxious? Hilda has a tea.”

“So Hilda’s magic,” Nick surmised.

“She is,” Sabrina confirmed. “Now, let’s get to work. I plan on winning, Scratch.”

“Then how do we do this?”

He held the pieces together while Sabrina used the frosting to construct their house. She was quick, efficient, and soon, they had a freestanding gingerbread house.

“Now the fun part,” she declared. “We decorate.”

“Who judges this thing anyway?” Nick asked.

“Cee does the judging. Notice that he excused himself from the competition. He’s in the living room watching football. The two-hour time limit conveniently coincides at just about the time halftime starts.”

“That’s kind of genius on his part.”

“It’s diabolical,” Sabrina agreed. “I appreciate his mind games. Now, how should we decorate this thing?”

“You decide,” Nick shrugged.

“This is a team effort,” Sabrina countered. “What ideas do you have?”

Nick considered the simple house.

“What if we used some of that chocolate frosting to cover the white? What do they call it on those baking shows Amalia watches? Piping?”

“I like that idea,” Sabrina said as a vision formed. “And we can use the green frosting to make a few trees in the yard.”

“It needs a chimney,” Nick observed. “And a door. Windows.” He plucked a gummy wreath from their candy stash. “Here’s the door decoration.”

He sat back and let Sabrina handle the piping. It turned out to be a good choice. Her work was elegant with looping swells along the roof and neat drops that were meant to be shingles. She moved on to outlining a door, windows, even etching siding on the house.

And she couldn’t be more beautiful if she tried.

He needed to focus less on that aspect of things.

“How did you get so good at this?” he asked.

“Hilda,” Sabrina answered simply. “About that chimney…”

“I’ve been thinking about that.” He picked up a couple extra squares of gingerbread. “Got something I can cut this with?” Sabrina produced an exacto knife from their supplies. “Hilda really thought of everything.”

“What do you think of Greendale so far?” she asked as she watched him carefully cut several pieces from the larger slabs.

“It’s small,” Nick countered. “And apparently everyone buys their meat from the Putnam farm.”

“You’re right on both accounts,” Sabrina confirmed. “But this place has a lot to offer if you’re willing to look for it.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” he said as he measured out the pieces. Sabrina decided to ignore the jab.

“Amalia said you’re here through the holidays?” she asked in an effort to keep up conversation.

“That’s the plan. Help her get settled, that sort of thing.”

“So your job lets you work from anywhere?”

“For the most part. It’s a family-friendly, life-work balance kind of place. The CEO prides himself on that. I like going into the office, but it suffices to say most people take advantage of the whole ‘work from anywhere’ deal.”

“And you live in New York?” Sabrina continued, figuring he did since that was where Amalia had moved back from.

“Boston, actually,” he corrected. “My parents met in New York, but my dad’s job took them to Washington, D.C. I stuck around Boston after college.” He held the pieces of his chimney together. They fit perfectly. “Get your icing ready, Spellman. We need to attach our chimney.”

“You’re not half bad at this for someone who claims to have never made a gingerbread house before,” Sabrina commented as she expertly iced the pieces into place while he held them steady.

“You just haven’t realized you’ve done the bulk of the work so far,” Nick quipped. “All I’ve done is hold a few things in place and cut a few pieces of cookie.”

“True,” Sabrina agreed. “But as they say, if you want something done right, do it yourself.” Nick laughed. She smiled at him. He wasn’t half bad when he wasn’t passing over rolls and dessert, humble bragging about his accomplishments, or making backhanded comments about Greendale.

“Do you miss traveling?” he asked.

“I’m sure I will eventually, but I don’t want to travel like I used to. I’ve been to one hundred and twenty countries…” Nick whistled, “... and while I have so many incredible stories to tell, it’s also really hard to spend so much time away from the people I care about. Being on planes, trains, and automobiles gets old after a while. I’m happy to be settled now. I’m sure I’ll still take a few trips a year, but nothing like the months long treks I was doing before.”

“And you live here with your aunt?” Nick continued his questions. He found he wanted to get to know her and this was as good of an opportunity as any.

“Temporarily. I actually bought a house a couple of months ago, right before I came back. I had some renovations done, so I’ve been crashing here. They just finished them, actually. I’m officially moving in this weekend.”

“Send your contractor to Amalia’s,” Nick said wryly. “I keep telling her if she just knocked down a few walls, she could have an open space concept downstairs and she could double the size of the upstairs bathroom, but she won’t hear of it.”

“She grew up in that house, right?” Sabrina asked. Nick nodded. “It makes sense that she doesn’t want to remodel. She’s got a lot of memories there.”

“She certainly likes to share them,” Nick said. “Generally when I’m trying to get some work done.”

“Oral history,” Sabrina said. “You’ll be happy you have those stories one day.”

Nick was sufficiently put in his place with just one sentence. He had to admit Sabrina was right. Amalia was a young sixty-five, but she was also his last living relative. He should probably humor her more when she started taking a trip down memory lane while they sat around the living room in the evenings. He had learned the hard way that life wasn’t guaranteed.

“Our chimney needs stones,” he said, expertly steering the conversation away from a subject he didn’t care to broach. “These will work.” He produced a bag of rock-shaped candy from their collection.

“Perfect,” Sabrina agreed. “Ambrose got nearly a pound of those, so there should be plenty if we need more. You work on stoning the chimney. I’ll figure out how to make these windows look like they’re lit up.”

They didn’t talk much as they worked. Nick moved on from the chimney to start crafting a fence out of pretzel sticks and more of the rock candy. Sabrina crushed up a stick of yellow rock candy to make the windows look like they were glowing, then used the green icing to create several Christmas trees around the home. Together, they chose peppermints and candy canes to accent it. Sabrina finished it off with well-placed white icing and a dusting of powdered sugar to make it look like it had just snowed, complete with icicles hanging from the eaves.

“That’s not half bad,” Nick said as they stood side by side to take in their work.

“Not at all,” Sabrina agreed. “I’m impressed, Scratch.”

“It looks like it belongs in a snow globe.”

Sabrina’s smile was wistful.

“I love snow globes,” she confessed. “I have a collection of them. My parents traveled a lot, and they would bring them back for me when I was little.”

Nick didn’t dare broach the topic of dead parents. It would mean talking about his and that wasn’t something he was especially interested in. He checked his watch instead.

“Looks like time is almost up. Shall we take our creation to the kitchen for judging?”

“Think you can carry this thing without dropping it?”

“I’ll do my best,” Nick promised. “I think you might end me if I were to mess this up.”

“You’re not wrong,” Sabrina confirmed. He laughed and ever so carefully, lifted the gingerbread house from the table. They made it to the kitchen without incident. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

“I don’t know why the rest of us tried,” Theo announced as he observed Sabrina and Nick’s creation. “That’s incredible.”

“It was mostly Sabrina,” Nick said. “I just stuck candy on and built the fence.”

“You did more than that,” Sabrina said.

“I really didn’t,” Nick shook his head.

He learned they were to all leave the kitchen while Cee judged their creations. Hilda had coffee, tea, and still more cookies waiting in the living room. Nick saw Amalia exit a conversation with Father Blackwood and used that as his excuse to extricate himself from Dorcas once more.

“How many rounds of food is Hilda planning to serve?” he asked as he sat down next to her with a cup of coffee.

“This is it,” Amalia said as she broke off a piece of one of three cookies stacked on a napkin. “Evening coffee and tea is the signal to guests to wrap it up.”

“So we’re leaving soon?”

“Eager to get out of here?” Amalia countered.

“We’ve been here for hours,” Nick said. “Surely you’re ready to go home?”

“I’m enjoying myself,” Amalia said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had the pleasure of a big family gathering for the holidays. And I plan to help with cleanup. It would be rude to eat and exit.” She considered him. “But if you’re dying to get home, I’m sure Sabrina or Ambrose would give me a ride.”

“No need for that,” Nick sighed. “I’ll stick around.”

He sat back and sipped his coffee, figuring he may as well caffeinate up if he was going to tackle his inbox when he got home. At least a third of his clients weren’t American. It was business as usual for them. Amalia had picked up a conversation with Prudence, leaving him free to look around the room. His eyes fell on Sabrina. She was with her friends Theo and Robin, laughing heartily at whatever they were talking about as she sipped hot cider. She caught him looking. She smiled a bit and looked away. He averted his own eyes.

Several more minutes passed before Cee returned and announced he had chosen a winner. Apparently they all had to relocate to the kitchen for the big news. Sabrina gravitated towards his side as they awaited the results.

“It was a tough decision,” Cee began. “Although there were some clear losers.” He looked at Ambrose as he waved his hand at the poor attempt Ambrose and Judas had entered. Ambrose scowled.

“Rude,” he stated. Cee ignored him.

“But in the end, our winner is…” He made a show of waving his hands around. “This one!” He pointed to Sabrina and Nick’s creation. “Congratulations, Sabrina and Nicholas!” Sabrina squealed in happiness and before Nick knew what was happening, she had her arms around him. He barely had time to register the gesture and put an arm around her to return it before she had turned him loose. He felt strangely cold in her absence.

“We did it!” she exclaimed. “We won!”

“You realize there is no actual prize, right?” Ambrose piped up.

“Bragging rights,” Sabrina stated. “For an entire year!” She turned back to Nick, beaming. He was a little warmer now. “Congratulations, partner.”

“Congratulations,” Nick replied, uncomfortable with how everyone was looking their way. “You did most of the work.”

“You helped plenty,” she assured him. “We beat Ambrose. That’s all that really matters.”

“I heard that!” Ambrose called.

“Meant for you to!” Sabrina retorted.

Amalia was true to her word to help Hilda clean up. Nick tried to help, but he thought he was more of a hindrance as the Spellmans and Amalia moved with ease. When it was finally time to go, Sabrina walked out with him while Amalia hovered in the entry hugging and thanking Hilda for the umpteenth time ever.

“How ready are you to go home right now?” Sabrina asked with a sparkle in her eye.

“It wasn’t the worst day I’ve ever had,” Nick admitted. All in all, it hadn’t been half bad. “A bit different, but I guess I can now put ‘gingerbread house building champion’ on my resume.”

“I hear that’s a highly sought-after skill in the business analyst world.”

“I’ll be sure to tell my boss.”

They traded a smile.

“You’re going home to work, aren’t you?” Sabrina guessed.

“It’s not a holiday for my international clients,” Nick confirmed. Sabrina shook her head.

“All work and no fun,” she observed.

“I’m a lot of fun,” Nick insisted.

“Sure,” Sabrina agreed with a smile. Nick was about to retort when the door opened, and Amalia and Hilda poured outside.

“Nicholas, take those dishes from Hilda,” Amalia instructed. “I won’t have to cook for at least two days.”

“Here you go, love,” Hilda said as she handed off a stack of containers. Amalia was already carrying a similar stack. “Can’t let all this food go to waste, can we?”

“I guess not,” Nick agreed. He had no idea how there were leftovers. “Thank you for having us, Ms…” He realized he didn’t know her last name. He assumed it was Spellman, but she was married.

“Hilda,” she said with a smile. “Call me Hilda, dear.”

“I’ll see you around five?” Amalia asked Hilda as she started down the stairs.

“I’ll honk the horn when I’m outside,” Hilda confirmed. “I’ll bring coffee and pastries.”

“I’ll bring my wallet,” Amalia countered, and Hilda laughed heartily.

“Are you two going shopping?” Sabrina asked. “I want to come!”

“Be ready to leave the house at ten to five,” Hilda nodded. “I’ll pick you up on the way to Amalia’s.”

“You want to tag along?” Amalia asked Nicholas. “We’re going to Hartford. That’s a city. You should feel right at home.”

“I think I’ll stay in my nice warm bed,” Nick said wryly. He didn’t add the part about how he planned to enjoy having the house to himself to the absolute fullest, nor that he didn’t understand the appeal of Black Friday shopping at an ungodly hour when he could buy whatever he wanted right from his laptop.

“Suit yourself,” Amalia shrugged.

“Go update that resume, Scratch,” Sabrina said.

“As soon as I walk through the door,” he winked at her. “Come on, Grandma. It’s after nine and if you’re getting up well before the sun, we should get home.”

“Yes dad,” Amalia quipped. Nick shook his head and led the way down the stairs as Sabrina and Hilda laughed at his expense. He bit his lip to prevent himself from saying anything about not letting the leftovers spill all over the leather interior of his Porsche SUV. “That was so much fun,” Amalia stated as he backed out of his parking spot. “You managed to spend most of your evening with Sabrina I noticed.”

“I was seated next to her and the gingerbread house thing was luck of the draw.” A thought occurred to him. He shot a look at his grandmother. “Or was it?”

“Look at you, insinuating things…”

“I know how you operate,” Nick stated. “And I have the impression Hilda is just as shameless.” Amalia chuckled.

“While I don’t believe the seating chart was accidental, the gingerbread thing was completely coincidental.” She glanced at her grandson again. “I think you like her.”

“She’s perfectly likeable.”

“Oh, I don’t mean like her as in she’s a nice person. I mean like her as in _like_ her.”

“How old are you? Nick asked.

“Just observing what I see,” Amalia shrugged. “I’ll go on the record and say I’m not against it. Although I think she might give you a run for your money. She’s a firecracker, Sabrina.”

“I’m not looking for a relationship,” he reminded his grandmother. “I don’t have time for one, especially not with a girl who lives in another town.”

“I hope you heard how sad that sounds,” Amalia commented as they drove through the dark, quiet back roads. “Be mindful when you pass the Putnam farm. His cows get out sometimes. I’d hate for something to happen to this pretty care of yours.” Nick blew out a breath to hold onto his patience, just the reaction Amalia was hoping for. He figured at least she wasn’t currently talking about his love life. “I bet Mr. Putnam would let us keep the cow though. Beef for weeks. And you could tell all of your big city buddies that you went hunting… No need to tell them it was a cow with your car though. I’d back you up if you wanted to tell them it was a deer with a gun…”

Nick blew out another breath and focused on the road because despite her teasing, she was right. Wildlife was abundant around Greendale.

“But it was sad,” Amalia came back to her original point. “Not looking for a relationship, not having time for one. There are more important things in life than client calls, Nicholas…”

Nick did his best to drown her out.

He did the math as he drove.

Five weeks.

He had told his grandmother he would stay through New Year’s.

That was five weeks away.

He could make it five weeks in Greendale.

He hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See my [Tumblr](https://sarahwyland.tumblr.com/) if you're interested in seeing what Nick and Sabrina's gingerbread house looked like. QUITE impressive. 
> 
> I also think the first sparks were starting to fly... And if you want to know what my own 93 year old grandmother is like, meet Amalia. My grandmother is the inspiration for her. 
> 
> We go back to Hilda's cafe next update... 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this one! Let me know your thoughts!


	3. Memory Lane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps less small town hijinks, but let's get to know more about what makes Nick tick, shall we?

Sabrina was in an especially good mood as she entered Hilda’s. The cafe was busier than she expected it to be for two in the afternoon on a Monday, but she was proud of that. Hilda had worked hard to build her business and it was booming. She looked around, searching for an open table. She didn’t see any, so she decided to help herself to a coffee and a pastry in hopes that one would open up by the time she was finished.

A few minutes later, coffee in one hand, a scone in the other, she was still out of luck. 

“It’s extra busy today,” the girl working behind the counter offered with an apologetic smile. “University students studying for finals I guess.” 

“No worries,” Sabrina shook her head. “I’ll head down the street to Cee’s and set up at his counter for a while, maybe follow this scone with a milkshake. Tell Hilda hello for me?” 

“Of course,” the girl nodded. “Have a great day, Sabrina!” 

She smiled at the girl, then turned towards the door to leave, but her eyes fell on the figure of one Nicholas Scratch. He was bent over his laptop at a table in the window, entirely focused on his screen. Her feet carried her to his table without much thought as to why or if she was interrupting him. 

“Applying for jobs as a gingerbread house architect?” she asked. He grinned at her. She was bundled up against the cold, her cheeks rosy, her eyes bright. Her lips were as red as ever. She was a welcomed distraction. 

“I put you down as a reference,” he replied. “Hope you don’t mind.” 

“I’ll tell them you’re really great at building fences with pretzel sticks,” Sabrina assured him. He took in the large bag hanging off her shoulder, her hands full of coffee and snacks. 

“What are you up to, Spellman? Besides hyping yourself up on caffeine and sugar.” 

“I came to Hilda’s thinking I’d get some work done on my book so my agent doesn’t kill me,” she answered. “I haven’t built my new desk yet and I’ve found that if I sit on my newly delivered and entirely too comfortable couch, I’ll end up watching Netflix, so here I am. It’s busier than I expected though, so I’m going to head down the street to Dr. Cerberus and work at the counter. Trade my aunt for my uncle.” 

“You can join me,” Nick nodded at the empty seat at his desk. 

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt. I’m already interrupting…” 

“You’re not interrupting anything important,” Nick assured her. “Take a seat. I don’t mind.” 

Sabrina wavered. It would be easier to work at Hilda’s. At Cee’s, the lighting wasn’t great and with the staff always dressed up for Halloween, there was always a child screaming, whether in delight or in terror. The high schoolers liked to hang out there after school, just like she had as a teenager, but she was certain she wasn’t that loud and obnoxious. Plus, Hilda’s coffee was much better. 

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all,” Nick shook his head.

“Thank you,” Sabrina smiled. She sat down and busied herself with taking out her laptop. “I promise I won’t interrupt all of your business analyzing.” 

“I might be doing a lot of Cyber Monday shopping actually,” Nick admitted. “And none of the things I’ve bought have been gifts.” 

“Welcome to the last four days of my life,” Sabrina said. “I’m using my new house as my excuse for buying things.” 

“Did you get moved?” Nick asked. 

“I did. I’ve been staying there since Saturday night. It’s a mess and most of my furniture is in boxes or at least in pieces out of boxes, but it’s mine.” 

“Congratulations,” Nick said. “New homeowner, writing a book… Big year for Sabrina Spellman.” 

“It’s been a good one,” she admitted with a smile. “But if Ambrose wants to live to see the end of it, he’ll answer my phone calls. He’s supposed to help me put together furniture, but he’s MIA.” Nick thought Ambrose was a smart man, but he wasn’t going to voice that opinion out loud. “What’s Amalia up to today?” 

“When I left, she was painting the kitchen. Keep in mind, she hired painters. They are there and they are working, doing their job she’s paying them to do, and she’s helping them. Paint brush in hand, standing on a stepladder and all.” 

“The audacity,” Sabrina said, not quite able to keep a straight face. 

“She hired them,” Nick said again. “Isn’t the point of hiring people to do something for you so you don’t have to do it yourself?” 

“I would imagine Amalia isn’t the kind to sit idly by.” 

“She isn’t,” Nick sighed. “I had to get out of there. The fumes were murdering me.” 

“You would think professional painters would have a better ventilation system,” Sabrina said with absolute seriousness. 

“Exactly,” Nick nodded. He was serious. He missed Sabrina’s smirk as an email caught his eye. “She has no business standing on stepladders, but you try to tell her that.” 

“I’m sure it went over well,” Sabrina said as she opened the file she needed. 

“She told me I could help or get out of the kitchen. So I chose to get out of the house.” 

“Dramatic,” Sabrina quipped. She was surprised that Nick chuckled. His phone lit up with a call from a client. 

“I’m going to step outside and take this,” he told Sabrina. “I learned earlier that people don’t take it too well when you have a lengthy phone conversation inside.” 

Sabrina watched him step out onto the sidewalk before she got down to work. She had only typed a few sentences before Hilda appeared. She wore her usual flour-covered apron and had a streak of powdered sugar across her cheek. 

“Sweet Kelly told me you were out here,” she greeted Sabrina. “She said you were about to leave for Cee’s before you found a seat.” 

“Nicholas Scratch is here,” she answered. “He offered up the extra seat at his table.” 

“Oh? Where is he?” Hilda looked around the café. 

“Outside,” Sabrina jerked her thumb. “His phone rang and apparently he ruffled some feathers earlier by taking a call that lasted more than a few minutes.” 

“Yes, well, I can see how that could annoy some,” Hilda agreed. “How is the house coming along? Need any help unpacking?” 

“I could use some help assembling furniture,” Sabrina said. “Ambrose is supposed to help me, but he’s an expert at avoiding my phone calls.” 

“After how well moving day went, can you blame him?” Hilda asked pointedly. 

“I just wanted him to do it right,” Sabrina said innocently. 

“I’ll see if we can’t drum him up,” Hilda offered. “I’ll come by this evening and help a bit.” 

“You don’t have to, but I wouldn’t say no,” Sabrina replied with a sweet smile. 

“I’ll bring Cee along too,” Hilda decided. “We’ll get you all squared away.” She checked the wristwatch she always wore. “Ah, my last batch of cookies for the day should be done. I’ll be in the back for a bit longer if you need anything.” 

Hilda floated away and Sabrina resumed working. Nick returned a few minutes later. He gave her an apologetic smile as he sat back down and tried to return his attention to the complicated spreadsheet he needed to make sense out of by close of business that day. 

He couldn’t focus, however. His attention kept being drawn away by someone passing by on the street or a new customer entering the café. If he wasn’t people watching, he was clicking over to his internet browser and buying yet another gadget or pair of shoes or shirt he didn’t need. He had complained about all the bags he had to lug in for Amalia after her shopping excursion with Hilda and Sabrina, but he imagined she would have a thing or two to say when she saw the boxes delivered to her house in the next couple of days. 

Assuming delivery trucks could find the place. 

And he couldn’t stop stealing glancing at Sabrina. 

He glanced at Sabrina a lot.

She bit her lip while she worked. She scowled a bit, too. Her fingers tapped over the keyboard in a swift manner. She stopped to adjust her headband when a chunk of hair escaped. She sipped her coffee in a dainty sort of manner. She broke her scone off piece by piece. She checked her phone from time to time, but kept it largely face down so her notifications wouldn’t interrupt her. When she let out a frustrated huff, it was the excuse he needed to break the comfortable silence between them and continue putting off his spreadsheet. 

“Everything okay?” 

“I can’t get the photos to show up on my website the way I want them to,” she admitted. “It’s driving me crazy.” 

“I thought you were working on your book?” Nick asked with a glint in his eye. 

“I did that for a while, but I need to publish this piece about Morocco. Except the photos, which are the selling point of this whole thing, are tiny thumbnails and they’re stretched weird.” 

“Can I take a look?” he offered. 

“You know anything about websites and HTML?” she countered. Nick shrugged. 

“I might.” 

She turned her computer towards him. He moved his own aside and brought hers closer. He took in the code of her mess of a website, pretended like he hadn’t spent more than on occasion browsing it a few nights earlier, reading about her travels, her guides to foreign countries, the occasional personal story she shared. He found the problem and made a few quick edits in a matter of a couple of minutes. He turned the screen back to her. 

“All I see is a block of code,” she stated. 

“I’m giving you the honor of clicking the update button,” he explained. “That way, if I broke something, it’s technically your fault because you published it without it being the correct code.” 

“I’m not sure that’s how it works,” Sabrina stated with a warning look. “You’re fixing this if you broke it, Scratch.” 

“It was already broken,” Nick reminded her. “But it’s not anymore.” 

“You’re pretty confident for someone who hasn’t even checked his work.” Nick just shrugged and waited for her to click the publish button. She gave him and look and did so. Her eyes widened. “It works!” 

“Of course it does,” he said, rather proud of himself. “You somehow had your width set to twenty-five percent, so it jammed everything into a tiny square.” 

“How’d I do that?” Sabrina wondered. 

“No idea, but hopefully you’re all set now.” 

“I’m all set,” she nodded. “Thank you, Nick. It was driving me insane.” 

“Nice change of pace for me to be the one saving someone from their insanity instead of driving them to it,” he quipped. She laughed. God, she had a great laugh. “Did you take those photos?” 

“I did,” she confirmed. “I was in Morocco earlier this year. It might be my favorite place I’ve ever been. Definitely top three.” 

“Were you alone?” Nick questioned. 

“For the most part. I met up with a camera crew for a few days for a story we did, but I traveled around, rode some camels, talked to people, ate amazing food, bought a lot of stuff. I sent Hilda spices even she’s never heard of. She’s still over the moon about it.” 

“You travel alone often?” his questions continued. She was fascinating. Most women he had spent time with were the kind who liked to hang off his arm, enjoyed expensive things and fine dining. Sabrina was – different. She was confident, cultured. There was a brightness about her that pulled people in, a kindness that wasn’t fake or forced but rather a core component of her being. And right now, dressed down in a pair of leggings and an oversized Columbia sweatshirt, he thought she might be more beautiful than even the supermodel he had briefly dated a few months ago. 

“Most of the time,” she confirmed. “I’ve made a lot of friends around the globe, which is fun, but yeah, for the most part I pretty much just followed the stories when I was traveling constantly. Which is why I learned how to take good photos. I had to do a lot of my own photography.”

“And that led to a travel blog?” 

“I had so many good photos and a limit on how many words I could use to tell my stories for publications that I decided to start my website,” Sabrina confirmed. “I can wax on as long as I want and share as many photos as I want without an editor chopping up my piece.” 

It wasn’t the greatest website out there. She was aware of that. She had a decent following, but her pages views weren’t breaking records, and she didn’t have six figures worth of Instagram followers. She didn’t care about that stuff. It wasn’t about making travel look glamorous to her. It was about peeling back the shiny layer of wanderlust and getting to the heart of what made places unique. She found it usually wasn’t the well-known tourist spots, but the locals and the hole-in-the-wall places they knew. 

“You ever think about having someone give your website a makeover?” Nick chanced. “You have these incredible photos and stories and your site…” He trailed off, not wanting to offend her. 

“Go on…” she prompted with a look that told him he was going to finish that sentence whether he wanted to or not. 

“Well, honestly? It looks a little bit – dated.” 

“Dated,” Sabrina repeated. 

“Like, MySpace 2006 dated.”

Sabrina made a face. 

“It’s not that bad…” 

“It kind of is,” Nick informed her. “Not to mention not mobile friendly, the SEO is likely terrible, and you probably have no analytics in place to know how your content is performing. I didn’t see a way to opt into an email list either and your social media links are buried.” 

Sabrina looked at him like he had sprouted two heads. 

“Pretty much everything you just said went over my head,” she confessed. 

“Just some stuff to consider if you want to make a career out of that.” He waved his hand at her laptop. “And for the record? I think you could. I mean, you already have, in some ways. You’re a journalist, have a book deal. But you have a platform you could really do something with if you made a few updates.” 

“Huh,” Sabrina said as she resumed working. 

“Huh?” Nick repeated. 

“I’ve kind of thought about all of that,” she admitted. “Not the SEO or whatever you just rambled out. I don’t know what that even stands for. But the whole turning it into something more than what it is. I’ve just never had the time to slow down and do it. I’ve been living out of a suitcase for six years and working to deadlines. My paid work had to come first. Never mind the fact that I have no idea how to do any of that stuff you just said.” 

“There’s people that can do it for you,” Nick reminded her. 

“Like painters?” she teased. 

“Exactly,” he stated. Sabrina had to laugh. Again, her laugh made him smile. “I know plenty of people who do this kind of work if you decide you want some help.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said, even as the idea took root in a way that she was familiar with, a way that meant she wasn’t going to be able to let it go, even if she wanted to. She resumed writing and Nick went back to his spreadsheet. 

Sabrina left an hour or so later, just as his pivot tables were making sense, and he missed her company almost right away, even if they hadn’t talked all that much as they focused on their respective screens. He left not long after, marveling once more at how the small town seemed to have flipped from Thanksgiving fall decor to full out winter wonderland Christmas overnight. It was a bit much in his opinion, but it did make the drive interesting, as did the sheer number of inflatables people had in their yards. The paint fumes had faded by the time he walked into his grandmother’s. 

“There’s my favorite grandson!” Amalia greeted when he appeared in the living room. She was set up on the couch, surrounded by her knitting supplies while she watched the local news – that started at four o’clock and didn’t end for two-and-a-half hours. It baffled Nick that they had that much to talk about in the small town. 

“Painting all done?” he asked by way of response as he sat down on an armchair, 

“Just the kitchen and dining room. We’re doing the rest of the downstairs tomorrow, then it’s on to the upstairs. I told them to skip your room. I’ll have them paint that one after you’ve gone back to Boston.” 

“It’s not really my room,” Nick reminded her. “It’s a guest room. I can clear out when they’re ready to paint it, sleep on the couch for a night or two.” 

“Fine, we’ll call it a guest room,” Amalia said by way of response. “How was your date with Sabrina?” 

Nick’s jaw dropped. 

“I wasn’t on a date…” 

“The pair of you looked quite cozy at Hilda’s from what I hear.” 

“How…” Nick was flabbergasted. How on earth had his grandmother known he was with Sabrina? 

“Hilda told me,” Amalia shrugged as she resumed her knitting. 

“Hilda wasn’t even there!” 

He was certain he would have known it if she had been there. Hilda wasn’t exactly subtle. 

“Of course she was there,” Amalia dismissed. “She was in the back. Does nearly all the baking herself. Doesn’t trust the others to make things up to her standards so she’s not up front much.” 

“It wasn’t a date,” Nick said. “Far from it. I was there working, Sabrina came in, the place was packed, she said hello and was going to go somewhere else – that weird diner, I think – and I told her to just take the extra seat at my table. She did, we worked, she left, I left. Not a date.” 

“You should ask her on a date,” Amalia continued. “And Dr. Cerberus is not weird…” 

“There are skeletons wearing Santa hats in the window,” Nick interrupted. “It’s the very definition of weird.” 

“You haven’t gone inside yet, have you?” Amalia asked, eyes dancing. 

“The takeout you brought home the other night was enough to tell me there’s probably not much on the menu I can eat.” 

“You _could_ eat the whole menu,” Amalia mused. “You just choose not to and have no idea what you’re missing out on. Anyway, not my point. My point is that I bet your head would explode if you went inside.” 

“Why?” 

“It’s a themed restaurant.” 

“So I gathered. The window kind of gave it away.” 

“I’d just like to see you sit down to eat in a themed restaurant. Cee dresses like a vampire, the employees do too. It’s Halloween all the time in there. Currently Halloween with Santa hats and twinkle lights.”

“I think your wish is a pipe dream,” Nick informed her. 

“Did you at least enjoy Sabrina’s company?” Amalia asked. 

“She’s perfectly enjoyable.” He decided it was time to change the subject away from Sabrina and themed diners. “By the way, I have a few packages being delivered over the next few days. If I happen to not be here when they’re delivered, just put them by the stairs and I’ll take them up.” 

“Oh!” Amalia remembered. “I bought one of those Amazon Echo screen things today.” She waved around a knitting needle dangerously as she spoke. “I thought it would be nice to have so I can do video calls with you when you go back to Boston. Assuming you won’t be too busy to talk to your grandmother on occasion.” 

Something tugged in Nick’s chest. 

“I bought one of those today too,” he said, his tone softer. “You know I always have time for you, Grandma.” She looked a bit sad as she smiled at him and Nick felt worse. He had blown her off plenty of times. Guilt was part of the reason he had decided to stay with her in Greendale for so long. She didn’t really need him – they both knew that – but they were both content to go along with the charade for a while. “I’ll make sure it’s set up before I leave.” 

“That would be fine,” Amalia nodded. 

For a few minutes, a comfortable silence settled over them. Nick opened his laptop again and started reading through his emails. He clicked on one from his boss. He frowned and read it again, certain he hadn’t read it correctly. 

_Dear valued team members,_

_It is with great pride that I share this year has been our very best on record. We doubled our revenue, an absolutely outstanding performance on all accounts. That is because of your hard work and dedication to your clients and our company. In order to celebrate your hard work – and in addition to your forthcoming holiday bonuses – I am pleased to share that our company will be CLOSED for the rest of the year, beginning this Friday at 5:00 EST. You will not be required to use vacation for this time. Consider these weeks a holiday with pay._

_I know this may seem unprecedented. It is. But I have personally contacted each of our clients over the last week and explained our plans. Given that things always slow down this time of year, they are very supportive, and some have even been inspired to extend their own holiday time. Please wrap up any pending business by EOD on Friday. To ensure that none of you will be working – I very much want you to take this time to spend with your family and friends and to recharge so you return to the office fresh and ready to make next year the best yet, yet again – IT will be disabling your emails at 5PM Friday. Another unprecedented step, but rest assured…_

Nick was dumbfounded. 

Amalia noticed. 

“Everything okay?” 

“I need to make a call…” 

He hurried outside but stayed within the wi-fi’s signal so he could make the call in the first place. 

“Ah, Nicholas,” his boss answered. “I was waiting for your call.” 

“I know you’re probably on your way home for the day,” Nick began, blowing right over what his boss was insinuating, “but I just got your email…” 

“Great news, isn’t it?” his boss cut him off. “Four weeks off. My only regret is that I didn’t think of it before Thanksgiving. We could have had six.” 

“Sir, I have clients…” 

“We all have clients, Nicholas,” he cut him off again. “And as my email said, I’ve spoken to them all. They didn’t just hire us because we’re good at our jobs. They hired us because of who we are as people. Of all my employees, you’re one I think could really use a break. You certainly deserve one.” 

“Yes, but I don’t mind working…” 

“Nicholas, you’re taking the time off.” His boss was firm. “You have a very fat bonus check dropping in your account on Friday, and you earned every penny of it. You have worked exceptionally hard for a long time and taken very little vacation. Please, accept this time off as the gift it is. You said you were helping your grandmother move, right? Some small town in Connecticut?” 

“Greendale,” Nick sighed. “Yeah.” 

“Ah, I’ve been to Greendale,” his boss remembered. “A few years back. Long story short, my family and I decided to have a good old-fashioned Christmas in a cabin we rented in the mountains near there. We drove into town and picked up our Christmas ham from a guy named Putnam.” Nick scowled. The Putnams were everywhere. “We got the best cookies and hot chocolate at a place called Hilda’s. I’ll have to look into if she ships…” 

“I know the place,” Nick said. “I’ll take care of it.” After Friday. When he had nothing else to do other than send his boss a care package. “Sir, we still have a couple of weeks before the holidays…” 

“Nicholas, you know things slow way down between Thanksgiving and the New Year. This time off is a gift. Enjoy it. Spend time with your grandmother. Go have a cookie at that Hilda’s.” 

Nick talked to his boss for another few minutes about a couple of his clients and tried one more time to get him to change his mind about cutting off his email for a month before he returned inside. Amalia was in the kitchen, searching through the fridge for dinner ingredients. 

“Everything okay?” she asked as she considered a package of ground beef and put it back. 

“My boss has decided to close the business for the rest of the month as of Friday at 5pm.” Saying it out loud didn’t make it sound any less outlandish. “It’s his idea of a thank you to his employees for doubling our revenue this year. Never mind that we have a few more weeks to go in which we could be adding to it.” 

Amalia considered him. 

“What?” Nick asked, his patience thin. 

“Just waiting for your head to explode.” 

Nick sighed out his annoyance at her overuse of that phrase and shook his head. 

“It’s ridiculous, Grandma. He’s closing down the company for an entire month, even shutting down our email at five o’clock on Friday. I have four days to finish up with my clients for the year. And then what am I supposed to do? Watch paint dry?” 

“Well,” Amalia mused, “the good news is, you can literally watch paint dry. There’s going to be a whole lot of that going on around here over the next few days. You can take your act outside when we do the exterior next week.” 

“Oh my God,” Nick huffed. He moved to walk out of the room. 

“Nicholas,” Amalia said in that tone of hers that told him not to ignore her. He sighed and turned back to her. She motioned at the kitchen table. “Have a seat.” He hesitated but did as he was asked. “I’ll be right back.” 

She walked out of the room. Nick’s frown only deepened. 

“Grandma?” he called after her. 

No answer. 

She returned a few moments later with a shoebox. 

“I found this when I was unpacking the last couple of boxes today.” She joined him at the table and took the lid off. “I thought you might like to have it.” 

“What is it?” Nick asked wearily. “Old shoes?” 

Amalia gave him a look and pushed it across the table to him. 

It was full of old photos, nearly all of them of his parents and him. 

“Where did this come from?” 

“I found it in your parents’ bedroom closet when we were cleaning things out,” she told him. “I put them in another box and forgot all about it.” She reached in and plucked a photo. She smiled sadly. “Or maybe it was too soon for me to look through them.” 

“It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly three years,” Nick said as he looked at a photo of him with his father during a family vacation to a beach somewhere. “It feels like it was yesterday.” 

“It really does,” Amalia agreed as she reached for another photo. She chuckled and turned it so Nick could see it. It was of him, dressed sharp in a suit, a crown on his head, a Homecoming King sash across his chest, a cape draped around his neck. His mother had her arm around him. His father was laughing off to the side. He was scowling. “You hated everything about that night.” 

“My girlfriend had just broken up with me,” he reminded his grandmother. “She got voted Homecoming Queen and wouldn’t even link arms with me for photos. Then Dad said I looked like the Burger King mascot. He didn’t help.” 

Amalia laughed. 

“Your mom told me all about it. Grandpa and I got a good laugh at your expense.” 

“Speaking of Grandpa…” Nick picked up another photo. This one was of him, Amalia, and his grandfather. “I was what, ten here?” 

“About, yeah,” Amalia agreed as she took the photo and looked over it with a wistful expression. “If I remember right, we took that the night before you all left New York for D.C.” 

The box served the purpose Amalia hoped it would. It distracted Nick from what she was sure would become a panic attack as he dwelled on how his usually scheduled and full days were suddenly a lot less structured. The photos got older as they got closer to the bottom of the box. Nick smiled sadly as he looked at one of the last photos it held. 

“Look at this one.” 

It was a photo of his parents on their wedding day. His mother held a two-year-old him in her arms. His father’s arm was wrapped around her as they both beamed at the camera. 

“They were so happy,” Amalia said as she took the photo from a closer look. 

“They were so young,” Nick countered. “I can’t imagine being married at twenty, let alone having a toddler. “

“Your dad was twenty, but your mother was just eighteen,” Amalia reminded him. “Barely old enough to get married before she was walking down the aisle.” 

“Sixteen when she had me,” Nick echoed. He shook his head. “Having a baby as a teenager couldn’t have been part of her plan.” 

“It wasn’t,” Amalia said. “But she met your dad. They had you. They had a good life. The plan she had turned out to be nothing on the plan life had for her.” 

“They had unprotected sex two months into their relationship and got a baby out of it,” Nick corrected. His grandmother liked to romanticize how his parents fell fast for one another and ended up joined by a teenage pregnancy. He saw the realities of it. They had loved him, loved each other, and ultimately built a good life, but it was the hard, gritty way when it could have been so much easier.

“Best thing they ever done was forget to use a condom.” Amalia reached over and playfully pinched his cheek. He batted her hand away, but she got a small smile out of him. “They built themselves a good life, Nicholas.” 

“I know they did,” he nodded. “But I’ve always wondered if things would have worked out between them if they hadn’t been saddled with a kid. If they got a chance to figure out if they actually liked each other, let alone loved each other, in their own time.” 

“Sweetheart, they did figure all of that out.” Amalia covered his hand with hers. “Your mom came home from their first date and told Grandpa and I that your dad was the one. She had no doubts. Your mom was a free spirit. She never did a single thing she didn’t want to do. If she didn’t want to raise you, she wouldn’t have. If she didn’t want to spend her life with your dad, she wouldn’t have. But she wanted to. Your dad wanted to spend his life with her. And raising you? Well, that was their greatest adventure.” 

“Dad’s parents disowned him because of me,” Nick said. He took the photo back and avoided his grandmother’s searching eyes. His mother was stunning. He had her dark hair, her dark features. Yet he still looked just like his father despite the man’s blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair curled like his fathers. They smiled the same, even stood the same. 

“Stupidest thing those high and mighty Scratches ever did,” Amalia declared. “They didn’t get the chance to know you.” Nick smiled just a bit at that. He had never known his paternal grandparents, but that had never bothered him. Amalia and his late grandfather were all the grandparents he had ever needed. “Besides, your dad got the last laugh, didn’t he?” 

“I suppose,” Nick nodded. His father’s parents had disowned him, but his grandmother, the matriarch of the Scratch family, had maintained a soft spot for him. When she died when Nick was in third grade, she passed the family fortune on to her favorite grandson in its entirety. Nick had inherited it when his own parents passed. “But Dad was doing okay for himself by then.” 

“Your father worked hard,” Amalia agreed. “He was a good man.” 

“He was the best,” Nick said with fondness. “Mom, too.” He looked at the photo for another long moment before he put it back in the box. “I hope they would be proud of me.” 

“They would be,” Amalia assured him. “But I imagine they would like you to slow down a little, maybe enjoy the time off you’ve been gifted.” 

Nick gave her a look. 

“Well played,” he said, realizing what she had done with the box of photos. She smiled at him. 

“You were about to spiral. I knew this would calm you down.” 

“It did,” Nick confirmed. “Thank you, Grandma. You said I can keep these?” 

“They’re all yours. You should have them.” She patted his hand. “Now let’s see about dinner, shall we?” 

She stood and left Nick to put the pictures back in the box. He took his time, taking in a few more of them as he worked. He blew out a long breath as he put the lid back on the box. He had plenty of work to do, especially now that he only had four days to do it. He tapped the lid of the box a couple of times, then made up his mind. 

“Need any help with dinner?” he asked, deciding pivot tables could wait a little longer. 

“Want to set the table?” Amalia countered. 

Nick nodded and set to his task. Amalia smiled and dropped the noodles for the spaghetti she was concocting into the boiling water. She thought she might even be able to convince Nick the noodles were gluten-free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nick is so taken with Sabrina. And he's such a complex guy. Complex with a lot more free time on his hands... Sounds like Sabrina might have a task or two for him... 
> 
> Also that Hilda... She's everywhere, isn't she? 
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this one!


	4. Christmas Errands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Solstice, friends!
> 
> Shall Nick get roped into a few Christmas errands?

Sabrina’s eyes were sharp as she entered the cafe. The figure she was looking for wasn’t there, but Hilda was. She approached the table Hilda was perched at with Amalia and Nicholas Scratch. 

“Hi love,” Hilda greeted. 

“Hi Auntie,” Sabrina replied. “Amalia, Nick, it’s good to see you.” 

“Sabrina,” Nick nodded politely. 

He wasn’t entirely sure how he ended up at Hilda’s. He came down the stairs, went for the coffee pot, and somehow found himself driving Amalia to Hilda’s for their now standing Saturday morning breakfast date. She had insisted he didn’t need to – she had acquired a car a few days earlier, but she hadn’t driven in Nick didn’t know how long after living in New York for decades despite having a valid license – but he had figured it would be a win-win. She wouldn’t drive, he wouldn’t have to make his own coffee or breakfast. 

Except he didn’t think about the part in which he would be stuck at a table with Hilda and his grandmother for who knew how long. With his boss being true to his word to shut off their work email at exactly five o’clock the day before, he couldn’t even distract himself with work. 

“Hi, sweetheart,” Amalia added. “You look especially bright-eyed this morning.” 

Sabrina smiled. 

“Don’t let that look fool you,” Hilda said before Sabrina could speak. “I know that look. It hasn’t changed in all her years on this earth. She’s up to something.” 

“I’m not up to something,” Sabrina stated. “I’m looking for someone. Ambrose, specifically. Have you seen him?” 

“I haven’t,” Hilda shook her head. 

“Is that the truth?” Sabrina pressed. “Or is that what Ambrose told you to say?” 

“I haven’t seen him,” Hilda said truthfully. “What do you need with him?” 

“He’s supposed to help me with Christmas stuff,” Sabrina said. “My tree, lights. We’re nearly a full week into December and my place looks like Scrooge lives there compared to my neighbors.” 

“Does Ambrose know he’s supposed to help you today?” Hilda asked suspiciously. 

“I mentioned it…” Hilda just shook her head fondly. When Sabrina got something in her head, that was that. Some things never changed. “I bet he’s at Prudence’s. I’ve already checked his place and the mortuary. I don’t especially want to go over there, but he won’t answer his phone.” 

“Why doesn’t Nicholas help you?” Amalia offered. 

Nick sat up straighter at the mention of his name. 

“Oh, no,” Sabrina shook her head. “I can’t ask…” 

“You’re not doing anything today, Nicholas,” Amalia continued. Nick saw exactly what this was. It was his grandmother’s ongoing effort to push him and Sabrina together. “You’re on vacation.” Her eyes sparkled at that piece of news, well aware of how cross he was about his boss pulling the plug on the office. “I’m sure Sabrina would appreciate your help.” 

“I could…” he ventured. 

“Nick, you really don’t have to,” Sabrina shook her head. “I’ll find Ambrose, or maybe Theo…” 

He hated giving his grandmother the satisfaction, but despite Sabrina’s denial of needing his help, she still looked hopeful. He had a hard time saying the ‘no’ he wanted to say. Besides, it wasn’t like he had anything else to do. 

“I don’t mind,” he heard himself say. He dutifully avoided looking at his smug grandmother. “I can help you. Mind if I finish my breakfast first though?” He was eating another one of Hilda’s gluten-free blueberry muffins, warmed up this time. 

“Of course,” Sabrina nodded. “But really, Nick, you don’t have to…” 

“I’ll help you,” he cut her off with a smile. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do. 

“Okay,” she nodded. “I think I’ll get something to eat too, actually.” 

“I have some of those bacon and cheddar scones you love in the back,” Hilda said, already standing to fetch one. “How does that sound?” 

“Like heaven,” Sabrina stated. “Thank you, auntie.” Hilda scurried away to the back and Sabrina left to make herself a coffee. Nick turned his attention to his grandmother. 

“I’m assuming you can find your way home?” he asked pointedly. 

“I absolutely can,” she said cheerfully. “I’m sure Sabrina will be so appreciative of your help.”

“You’re pretty pleased with yourself,” Nick continued. 

“I saw an opportunity and I took it,” Amalia informed him. “Isn’t that what you do in business? Capitalize on what’s right in front of you? Just applying that concept to personal matters.” 

“You’re shameless,” Nick stated. Amalia just chuckled as Sabrina joined their table. 

A half hour later, Nick and Sabrina were on their way out of Hilda’s. Once they were on the sidewalk, Sabrina stopped and turned to him. 

“Nick, you really don’t have to help me,” she said. “I know your grandmother volunteered you…” 

“I don’t mind,” Nick said. “Besides, she’s right. I’m not doing anything else today.” 

“No work to do?” she asked. “Emails to send? Calls to make?” 

“My boss closed the company for the rest of the year,” Nick told her. “It’s a thank you for doubling the revenue this year. As of five o’clock yesterday, I’m not to work until the New Year. He even had our emails disabled to ensure we take some,” he used air quotes, “‘much deserved time off.’” 

“Air quotes?” Sabrina asked. “You might be the only person in the history of the world disappointed that you have a month of vacation.” 

“It feels irresponsible,” Nick said. “I tried to tell him that, but he had already gotten the board’s buy in and talked to our clients. I warned him our inboxes are going to be overflowing when we’re allowed to get back into our emails after the New Year and he basically said he told the clients not to email unless it was life or death.” 

“Whatever will you do these next few weeks?” Sabrina asked, not quite able to hide her sarcasm. 

“I have no idea.” He was completely serious. “But I have plans for today it seems.” Sabrina smiled at him. “What, exactly, is the plan for today anyway?” 

“Well…” They started ambling down the sidewalk. “I need to pick out a Christmas tree. Then, I need to bring it home, flock it in the front yard…” 

“Flock?” Nick interrupted. 

“Fake snow,” Sabrina waved her hand by way of explanation. “While it dries, I need to go buy decorations for it, then take it inside, decorate it, and ideally also get the Christmas lights up outside.” 

Nick checked his watch. 

“You realize it’s already ten o’clock?” 

“And?” 

“And you’re planning to pack an awful lot into the eight or so hours of daylight we’ve got left.” 

“Eight is generous,” Sabrina shrugged. “It gets dark early here. But it’s better to put Christmas lights up at night anyway. You get a real sense for how they look that way.” 

“That’s hard to argue with,” Nick admitted. “Where do we start with this to-do list of yours?” 

“We’re getting the tree.” She looked him up and down. “Good, you’re dressed appropriately.” Nick raised an eyebrow at the observation. She stopped next to a small, brand new SUV. “Why don’t you follow me to my place and leave your car there? So you’ll have it to go home later?” 

Nick agreed and got into his car parked nearby. Sabrina grinned to herself from behind the wheel of her brand new but decidedly not luxury SUV. She had spied the fancy Porsche SUV as she walked to Hilda’s and had had a feeling she knew who it belonged to. There weren’t exactly a plethora of luxury cars around Greendale. She had guessed right. 

She led the way to her cottage a few miles away and waited for Nick to park and get into her SUV. 

“All set?” she asked. 

“I suppose,” Nick countered. “Where exactly are we going? I feel like I’m trusting you a little blindly here.” 

“We’re going to a Christmas tree farm,” Sabrina said simply. “It’s about a half hour away.” ‘

They made small talk as Sabrina drove, Sabrina pointing out things and telling him stories about her life in Greendale before she left to travel the world. He already knew her friend Theo and by the time they reached the farm Sabrina mentioned – which was closer to forty-five minutes away – he felt like he knew these Roz and Harvey characters, too. 

When they got out of the car, he realized exactly what kind of tree farm they were at. 

“We have to cut the tree down,” he stated. 

“That’s the only way to do it,” Sabrina confirmed. “What did you think I meant by ‘tree farm?’” 

“One of those Boy Scout stands that have already cut them for you,” Nick admitted. “I didn’t think we would be trudging through a field today, but I suppose your comment about my clothes makes a lot more sense now. 

“If I wanted a tree I didn’t have to cut down, we could have stayed in Greendale,” she stated. “But don’t worry about the Boy Scouts. Zelda gives them a substantial amount of money to find her the biggest tree they can. They come through in spades. It’s already up and decorated in the mortuary parlor.” 

“Do you know how to cut down a tree?” Nick asked, taking in Sabrina’s petite size. 

“I should probably be asking you that, Mr. Boston,” she challenged. 

“I actually do know how to cut down a tree,” he admitted. He didn’t share more. He didn’t have a chance to. A friendly old man had called out to Sabrina. 

“Mr. Green!” 

Nick stood awkwardly by as she hugged this Mr. Green man warmly. 

“I haven’t seen you in what? Two years?” 

“Two years,” Sabrina confirmed. “I was in London last Christmas, Frankfurt before that.” 

“I hear you’re here for good?” he continued. 

“That’s the plan. I’ll still travel of course, but not for months at a time. More like a couple of weeks.” She glanced at Nick who was standing nearby with his hands shoved in his coat pockets. He was learning these small town connections were normal in – and apparently around – Greendale. “Do you remember Hilda’s best friend Amalia?” 

“Amalia? Of course I do! Grew up with her and Hilda. We were a bit like you and Roz and Harvey and Theo.” His eyes gleamed. “Always had a bit of a crush on Amalia if I do say so myself. She ended up married to Richard Harkness if I remember right.” 

“That’s her,” Sabrina confirmed. “This is her grandson, Nicholas.” 

“Grandson?” Mr. Green looked at Nick. “Well, I’ll be damned! I heard she was back in Greendale – looks like everyone is finally coming home.” 

“Nick?” Sabrina continued with her introduction. “This is Mr. Green, an old friend of Hilda and Amalia’s.” 

Nick politely extended his hand for a handshake. He didn’t quite know what to make of this man. He was exuberant, jolly. He looked the part of a tree farmer. He was the kind of guy one wanted to happen upon them when they had a flight tire in the middle of nowhere. They weren’t many men like him around Boston, let alone in Nick’s circle of acquaintances. 

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” he said politely. 

“Good, firm handshake,” Mr. Green noted. Nick sensed the man’s rough hands, so different than his own soft ones. “How’s your grandmother, son?” 

“She’s good,” Nick said as he took his hand back. “She’s happy to be back in Greendale.” 

“Good, good,” Mr. Green nodded. “I’ll have to try to catch up with her sometime soon.” A family of four dragging a tree towards the payment stand saved Nick from further conversation. “Sabrina, you know where the saws are. I think you’ll find several to your liking on the backside. Nicholas, tell your grandmother hello for me. Maybe leave out that bit about the crush, hey?” 

Sabrina’s eyes danced as the man walked away. 

“You were so uncomfortable,” she observed. 

“I just met the man who had a crush on my grandmother in high school,” Nick countered. “Uncomfortable is justified. I like to think of her as married to my grandfather and that’s it. No life before that.” 

“Don’t listen in on what her and Hilda talk about then,” Sabrina advised. “I was with them for hours on Black Friday. I know stuff.” 

“Stop right there,” Nick said. “I don’t want to know.” 

Sabrina laughed heartily and he smiled at her laugh. It really would be a lot easier to not prove Amalia right about how much he liked Sabrina if she wasn’t so damned beautiful, even all bundled up against the cold. 

“Come on, Scratch,” she said. “Let’s go find my tree.” She led him over to a shed with old-fashioned saws lined up along it. “Before we get our saw…” She dug her hand into a bowl placed on a ledge and held a miniature candy cane out to him. “These are gluten-free and a tree cutting down must.” 

“I’ll go with it,” he said, accepting the candy cane from. her. He watched her unwrap one and pop the whole thing in her mouth. It probably shouldn’t have led his mind where it did, but his thoughts couldn’t be stopped. He tried to pull them away by doing the same thing with his own candy cane, but it only made his mind wander further. He decided to try to focus on the saws. “Got a particular saw in mind? Or can I just pick one?” 

“I prefer a red handle with a gold blade,” Sabrina said seriously. Nick gave her a look, shocked she had an actual preference, before he turned his attention to the line of saws. Not a single one of them had a gold blade. They were all shades of steel and several had plenty of rust. He was about to comment when Sabrina laughed again. “I’m joking, Nick. Pick a saw and let’s walk.” 

“You’re hilarious, Spelllman,” Nick said as he grabbed the saw closest to him. 

“I thought so,” she shrugged good naturedly. They set out walking. “You said you know how to cut down a tree?” 

“I do,” he confirmed. “My parents were big cut down your own tree people.” He smiled a bit at the memory. “My dad’s parents kind of sucked. He had always wanted a real tree, but they put up giant fake ones.” Sabrina made a face at the idea of it. She was squarely team ‘real tree.’ “We always had a real tree growing up, but when we moved from New York to D.C., he decided we would cut down our tree. Mom had never done anything like that either – Amalia and my grandpa were artificial people, too, easier in New York – and she was all about it. So, we cut down our own trees.” 

“That’s a sweet memory,” Sabrina commented. 

“Yeah,” Nick agreed. “I guess it is.” He had kind of forgotten about it until Sabrina had him at a tree farm. It was just something they did, something he stopped being a part of once he was away at college and then building his career in Boston. “What are we looking for, Spellman?” She raised her eyebrow at ‘Spellman,’ but didn’t comment. She thought she might like the nickname “And don’t say ‘a tree.’ That’s not an answer.” 

“We’re looking for the perfect tree,” Sabrina said cheekily. Nick shook his head in amusement. 

“I walked right into that one.” 

“You really did,” she agreed. 

It turned out she wasn’t kidding. They looked at tree after tree, Sabrina passing on each one because of things like ‘this one has brown needles around the bottom’ and ‘it’s got a big gap just here.’ A couple of times she had agreed to a tree, only to change her mind right before time to saw. He was starting to think they would never find a tree that met her extensive criteria when she finally stopped at one. 

“This might be it.” Nick prayed it was. He stood by as she walked around it, inspecting it for whatever flaw she could find. “This is it. This is the one.” She reached for the saw. Nick held it out of reach. “I’m not going to change my mind this time!” 

“You sure?” he questioned. 

“Positive.” 

“Fine.” He moved to cut the tree. “Last chance, Spellman.” 

“I was going to saw…” 

“It wouldn’t be very manly of me to let you cut down a tree.” 

“I’m not exactly into gender roles,” she informed him. He grinned at her. 

“I gathered. I’m still doing it.” He got down on the ground – and tried not to think about how much his jeans cost – and sawed into the tree’s stump. It fell easily. He stood and dusted off his hands. “One Christmas tree, for the taken.” 

“My hero,” she quipped. She made to grab the tree to begin the drag back through the field, but Nick’s hand closed around her wrist. She looked at him and found herself startled by the depth his dark eyes. “You going to be manly again?” she asked. 

“I am,” he smiled. She laughed and relented. 

“We can trade when you get tired.” 

“Sure.” 

He was hellbent on dragging that tree all the way back to the shed. He didn’t know what made him be so insistent, but every time Sabrina offered to drag the tree for a bit, he turned her down. By the time they made it back to the shed, he had a fine sheen of sweat along his hairline and his hands were sticky with sweat. He was all too happy to let Mr. Green wrap the tree and strap it to Sabrina’s roof. Except he felt bad about letting the old man lift the thing on his own, so he ended up helping, only to be politely reprimanded for his lack of skills in tying trees to car roofs. 

It was well after lunchtime by the time they started back to Greendale. Sabrina stopped at a sandwich shop she knew of and insisted on buying his lunch – on gluten-free bread – as a thank you. Back at her house, he started to understand why Ambrose had made himself scarce. 

“How straight does the damn thing have to be right now?” Nick finally asked after he had adjusted the tree stand for the umpteenth time. “You’re just putting fake snow on it, right?” 

“But if it’s straight, I’ll be able to make sure it’s evenly flocked.” 

“The ground is uneven out here,” Nick pointed out. “It’s never going to be perfectly straight. Then you’re going to get it inside and we’re going to have to do this all over again.” 

Sabrina considered this. He wasn’t entirely wrong. 

“Fine,” she agreed after a beat. “We’ll call it good enough. For now. But the second this thing comes inside…” 

“We will make it as straight as humanly possible,” he promised her. That seemed to satisfy her. “Now, how do we flock this thing?” 

“With water and flocking powder,” Sabrina announced as though Nick should know what flocking powder was. 

Flocking turned out to be a messy affair. Sabrina put him in charge of the relatively simple task of spritzing the tree with water while she sifted what he thought was the equivalent of powdered sugar all over its branches. He had to admit it looked – pretty. 

“That should do it,” Sabrina declared more than an hour later. “What do you think?” 

“It looks good,” Nick said. “I actually really like it.” 

“You were skeptical?” 

“A bit,” Nick admitted. “But it does look like it was out in the woods and got a bunch of snow dumped on it.” 

“I can’t believe it hasn’t snowed yet,” Sabrina sighed. “We usually have at least a dusting by now. I came home banking on a white Christmas. I might be disappointed this year.” 

“You will at least have a snow-covered tree in your living room.” 

“True,” Sabrina smiled. 

“On to buying decorations for this thing?” Nick asked. 

“That’s the plan,” Sabrina confirmed. “But Nick, really, you have already helped me so much today. I completely understand if you want to ditch Operation Decorate Sabrina’s House to do pretty much anything else.” 

“Oh, I’m invested in this now, Spellman.” Nick found he was actually enjoying his time with her. “I want to see how it ends.” 

“If you’re sure…” 

“Positive,” he confirmed. “But I’m driving this time. No offense, but your driving skills leave a lot to be desired.” 

“Hey!” she protested. 

“I’d bet you didn’t do a lot of driving in your travels did you?” he questioned. “Lots of public transportation, maybe a hired driver on occasion?” The face Sabrina made told him he was right. He laughed. “Got a tape measure by chance?” 

“I do,” Sabrina nodded. “But what do you need it for?” 

“You mentioned buying Christmas lights to go outside?” She nodded again. “Do you know how long your porch is? Or whatever you want to put lights on?” 

“No…” 

“Then you should measure. That way you get enough of the lights you want and we’re not going back to the store tonight.” 

“Good thinking,” Sabrina nodded. 

Nick learned quickly that Sabrina Spellman didn’t know how to read a measuring tape. She could do the basic feet and inches, but after that, she got entirely confused and tried to pin her confusion on spending so much time in countries that used the metric system rather than admit she was bad at something. He took the lead, accurately jotting down the length, height, and width of her porch on his phone, as well as a rough idea as to how long the row of bushes she was intent on lighting up ran. He followed Sabrina’s directions to what he would guess was the only big box store in Greendale. 

“Want some coffee?” he asked when he spied a Starbucks just inside the door. 

“Sure,” Sabrina agreed. She tried to pay, citing she still owed him for helping her, but he outsmarted her by using his app. “Well played,” she admitted as they stepped aside to wait.

“I have a few tricks up my sleeve,” he countered. He glanced at his phone and frowned at how quiet it was. No new texts, just a few emails. Sabrina noticed. 

“Everything okay? “

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine.” He pocketed his phone. “Just trying to get used to this whole not having work to do thing.” 

“It’s stressing you out,” Sabrina noted. 

“It’s weird,” Nick confirmed. “I usually have dozens of emails. I guess I technically still do, but all of these are in my personal inbox and they’re all from every mailing list I’ve ever accidentally signed up for talking about their best prices of the year.” 

“My inbox looks like that right now too,” Sabrina grumbled. “And I keep falling for it, judging by how many tracking notifications I’ve received. Anyway, back to you. You’re stressed out about not being able to work?” 

“See, that’s the thing,” Nick said with a bit too much passion. “I’m able to work. I can work. I want to work. Except I can’t work because my boss has decided he’s doing us all a favor by setting us up to not work.” 

“Why is work so important to you?” Sabrina continued. 

Her innocent question left him searching for an answer. He always had an answer, even if it was a smartass comment. But not this time. 

“That’s a very good question,” he admitted. He was saved from providing more of an answer by a barista calling out their drink orders. He collected them and passed Sabrina her drink. “Let’s get a couple of carts.” 

“A couple?” Sabrina asked. 

“Call it a hunch that you’re going to need more than one.” 

It was a hunch that proved correct. She loaded first her cart and then his with ornaments, lights, multiple wreathes, lengths and lengths of garland, and far too many kitschy decor items with glitter for his taste, but it seemed to make her happy. It took some artful packing to get it all into his car, and then multiple trips to bring it all inside once they returned to her place. Then came time for the tree to be moved inside. Nick took off his jacket and then the thermal shirt he was wearing, leaving him in a white t-shirt. Sabrina didn’t hate how it looked on him. 

“What are you doing?” Sabrina questioned. 

“I like that shirt,” Nick nodded to the chair he had draped it over. “And moving that tree is going to get that flocking powder crap all over it.” 

“Another fair point,” Sabrina admitted. “I wouldn’t want you to ruin your shirt doing my dirty work.” 

She tried to help him move the tree inside, but he again insisted on doing it himself. She didn’t especially hate his perhaps a little too over the top display of masculinity. She was no damsel in distress, but Hilda had taught her it was okay to accept help, to let someone else do things for her from time to time. She didn’t have to do it all herself. 

Even if she could. 

She directed him on where to put the tree and was pleasantly surprised to find it was already relatively straight, so Nick was granted only a brief spell of “a little to the right, no more to the left” before she was happy with it. She made sure to busy herself with cleaning up the trail of flocking powder and needles while Nick took off his t-shirt and put his thermal back on. When she returned to the living room, Nick was standing in front of her shelves, his hands stuffed in his pockets. 

“You weren’t kidding when you said you loved snow globes.” 

“When did I tell you that?” Sabrina wondered 

“Thanksgiving. I said our gingerbread house looked like it belonged in a snow globe and you said you loved snow globes.” 

“You remember that?” Sabrina wondered. Nick shrugged. 

“I’ve got a really good memory. It’s a blessing or a curse, depending on how you look at it.” He nodded toward the two shelves lined with snow globes. “How many of these things do you have?” 

“A dozen,” she answered. “All of them from my parents. They traveled a lot and when they didn’t take me with them, they brought me a snow globe back.” She pointed at one that contained Belle and the Beast dancing. “Except for that one. They took me to Disney World when I was seven and I was obsessed with Belle. They bought me that one to commemorate the trip.” 

Nick surveyed the globes. 

“Paris, London, New York, Hawaii…” They weren’t cheap tourist snow globes either. They were elaborate, beautiful. “Which one is your favorite?” 

“This one.” Her dainty fingertip – painted the same red as her lips – landed on a snow globe that contained the Colosseum. The Italian flag was on the base with the word ‘Roma’ painted over it. “My parents were on their way back from a trip to Rome when their plane went down. I was ten.” She shook her head in an effort to rid herself of the painful memories that followed the news of their death. “A week after their memorial service, a box arrived at the mortuary. It was full of souvenirs they had bought in Italy and decided to ship back instead of trying to pack them in their suitcases. This snow globe was in it.”

Nick took in her features. The sadness in her eyes felt wrong. She was too beautiful – too kind – to be sad. 

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” he asked in a moment of vulnerability. “Losing your parents.” 

“Yeah,” she nodded. “My parents have been gone a long time, but it still feels like yesterday.” 

“Tell me about it,” Nick said. A heavy silence fell between them as they both thought about their parents, sharing a moment of grief that so few understood. It was Sabrina that broke the silence. 

“Shall we decorate the tree?” 

Nick had to admit he was enjoying himself. The sun went down as he and Sabrina strung first lights and then hung ornaments. He liked talking to her. He kept waiting to run out of things to say, but she knew books, had interesting stories, asked smart questions. She made him laugh, made him want to reach out a hand and steady her when she was too high on her tiptoes or else teetered dangerously on the stepstool she kept climbing to reach the top of the tree. 

He liked her house too. It was comfortable, welcoming. Signs of her travels were everywhere with photos and trinkets, but so were signs of her family, her friends. Even her grumpy cat, Salem, a creature he learned she had adopted almost as soon as her plane landed in Connecticut, had his own charm. 

When they finished the tree, they stood back and took in their work. 

“Not bad,” Nick decided. 

“Not bad at all,” Sabrina agreed. “Want a snack?” 

“I’m okay for now,” Nick said. “Lights outside?” 

“Lights outside,” Sabrina agreed. “I’m kind of excited about using the staple gun…” 

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Spellman.” 

She was a tyrant.

Nick realized that fact as he was precariously balanced on a porch railing, attempting to staple lights along the overhang. She had a vision, and he was there to help her execute it. And wonders of wonders, he didn’t mind. He even found her bossiness attractive. He didn’t mind following her directions, even if it was dark and cold and she changed her mind often. He thought it might have something to do with how the Christmas lights reflected in her eyes. 

“What do you think?” Nick asked as he came to stand by her in her yard. “Happy?” 

“Very,” she said as she looked up at her Christmas light-lined house. “It’s perfect, Nick.” She paused. “Well, almost.” 

“Almost?” Nick asked with a hint of apprehension. 

“I just wish it would snow,” she admitted. “I love how Christmas lights look when they’re covered in snow. They shine through it and I don’t know, they just glow different.” 

“I’m sure you’ll get your snow, Spellman.” He realized then he was looking at her, not the house. He turned his eyes back to the small home and had to admit he was impressed with their work. “That’s your list done. Need anything else before I head home?” 

“Want some hot chocolate?” Sabrina countered. She found she liked his company and maybe wasn’t quite ready to see him leave. Her house felt more alive with someone beside her in it. “I have almond milk, so it will be dairy-free. I use it in my smoothies.” 

“Hot chocolate could be good,” Nick agreed. 

“Come on.” Sabrina led them inside and to her kitchen. The lights were off throughout the house. She didn’t turn on any overhead lights, relying on the soft glow from the garland around her kitchen windows to put a pot of almond milk on the stove. She turned to Nick while she waited for it to warm. He had perched on a barstool and looked right at home. “Thank you for everything today, Nick. I know you didn’t wake up this morning expecting to be dragged all over Greendale in the name of decorating my house for Christmas.” 

“I had fun,” he said truthfully. “Besides, I’m sure Amalia would have put me to work, and I think this was probably more fun than anything she would have had me do.” 

“It’s really sweet that you’re staying with her while she gets settled,” Sabrina continued. “I’m sure she appreciates it. She couldn’t stop talking about you while we were shopping last week.” 

“Let me guess. I work too much, I’m always on my phone, I complain about everything…” 

“That came up,” Sabrina nodded. Nick sighed. “But she also talked a lot about how nice it has been to have you around, how she hopes that she will see you more now that she’s closer to Boston.” 

“It is only a 90-minute drive or so,” he confirmed. “It was three-and-a-half when she was in New York.” 

“Quicker if you took the train?” Sabrina guessed. 

“Longer, actually. The train adds nearly an hour onto the trip with all the stops. I still can’t believe she left New York, but she seems happy here.” 

“New York isn’t all it's cracked up to be,” Sabrina said. “I spent four years there for college. I loved every minute of it, but as I’ve traveled and seen so much of the world…” She shrugged. “There really is no place like home.” 

“I guess D.C. was my home,” he ventured, tiptoeing into dangerous territory. “That’s where I grew up. We moved there when I was ten. Most of my childhood memories are there.” 

“I’ve always liked D.C.” Sabrina stirred the almond milk a bit to keep it from burning or developing a skim. “I’ve been a few times. I get utterly lost in the museums.” 

“The museums are great,” Nick agreed. “We didn’t live in the heart of D.C. though. We were in Alexandria, in the Old Town neighborhood. 

“Oh, I love that neighborhood,” Sabrina recalled. “All those 18th-century townhouses, the cobblestone streets…” 

“We lived in one of those townhouses,” Nick told her. “Historical homes? Awful lot of maintenance.” It was why he had sold it when the house was left to him following his parents’ deaths. His life was in Boston by then and after trying to play landlord from afar, he got fed up and put it on the market. It sold within a week. 

He would never admit how much he regretted parting with it out loud. 

“Have you seen the mortuary?” Sabrina quipped, making him laugh. “It’s not exactly the easiest place to keep up, but Zelda has fun employing increasingly younger and more attractive workers to do it.” 

Nick watched her stir in cocoa. He didn’t have the heart to tell her the cocoa she was using wasn’t dairy-free. A little bit of dairy wouldn’t hurt, especially not when she was going through so much trouble to make them hot chocolate in the first place. It wasn’t like he was truly lactose intolerant anyway and he didn’t want to be rude, not to her. 

“How long has your family lived at the mortuary?” He again expertly steered the conversation away from a subject he didn’t want to get too deep into. 

“Forever,” Sabrina replied. “My great-grandparents bought the place when they were newly married, and it has stayed in the family. Zelda will pass it on to me or Ambrose or both of us someday.” She decided the hot cocoa was done and turned off the stove. She found a bag of marshmallows and tossed them to the kitchen island. Nick caught them to keep them from sliding off. She wanted a snack and thought fast about what she had that was gluten and dairy free. The answer was not much. She did have hummus and carrot sticks, however. That would have to do. “Hot cocoa,” she said as she placed a mug in front of Nick. “And snacks.” 

“Interesting combination,” Nick observed. “But much appreciated.” 

“There’s not much gluten or dairy free in this house,” she admitted. “There aren’t all that many groceries in the first place. I’ve only been here a week.” 

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” he commented. “Not just the Christmas decor. I can see a lot of your travels around the house.” 

“I’ve sent a lot of stuff I’ve bought overseas to the mortuary over the years,” she shared. “My aunts tucked it away in my childhood bedroom for me until I came home long enough to do something with it.” She dragged a carrot through the hummus. “Turns out, when you travel as much as I have, you don’t actually own a lot of stuff. I bought this house over video, signed the closing files in a hotel room in Portugal, bought a car a few days after I got back, and purchased pretty much all of my furniture on the internet.” 

“Yet you’ve got a lot of stories to tell,” Nick reminded her. “And all of these keepsakes I see scattered round.” He dropped a few marshmallows in his mug and thought about how much more personality her place had than his. 

“So many stories,” she nodded. Her stories were her most treasured keepsake. It was the real reason she wrote them all down. “Where do you live in Boston?” 

“I’ve got a condo,” he told her. “It’s not especially big, but it overlooks the water, has all I need.” 

“Including a great place to work?” she joked. 

“From my couch or at the kitchen counter,” he confirmed. 

“Here’s a question,” Sabrina said. “What would you do if you weren’t a business analyst?” 

Nick considered that question. It was the second time throughout the day that she had asked him a question he didn’t know the answer to. 

“I don’t know,” he admitted after a few beats. “I wanted to be Spiderman when I was a kid, but that doesn’t seem like a likely career path now that I’m a bit older.” That made Sabrina laugh, which made him smile. “What about you, Spellman? What would you do if you weren’t a writer?” 

“I wanted to be a cat when I was three,” she said seriously. “Also not a likely career path, but then I learned that there’s such a thing as cat school for people in the Broadway musical _Cats_ so I had renewed hope for a while but I’m a terrible actress so that dream died.” Nick laughed heartily. “I was going to be an artist, a vet, a nurse, a teacher… Thought about being a psychologist for a long time, but the start of Ambrose and Prudence’s relationship was so dramatic that I realized listening to other people’s problems all day wasn’t my cup of tea.” Nick laughed again. “But if I weren’t a journalist I would probably be…” she thought about it for a moment. “A writer.” 

“You are a writer,” Nick reminded her. “You’re a journalist that is now writing a book.” 

“Sorry, Scratch,” Sabrina shrugged. “That’s all I could ever see myself doing now. Writing things.” 

“Well, you’re good at it,” he said. “Although you could probably have a career as a Christmas decorator. Amalia was watching something on Netflix the other night and that’s this guy’s job. He decorates homes for Christmas.” 

“I binged that,” Sabrina nodded. “It’s only a few episodes. Amalia texted me about it.” 

“You and my grandma text?” 

“Pretty often,” Sabrina confirmed. “We learned we have similar tastes in TV and memes while we were shopping.” 

“My grandma knows what a meme is?” Nick clarified. 

“She does. Like I said, she’s got great taste in them.” 

“Huh,” Nick said. “I knew she could text, but I had no idea she was sending memes.” 

“Amalia is a pretty cool woman,” Sabrina told him. “I like her.” 

“She certainly likes you,” Nick said. He poked at a marshmallow, thinking. Amalia had never sent him a meme, didn’t text him about TV shows. She hardly texted him at all, save for the occasional ‘how are you?’ text when she hadn’t heard from him in a week or so. “I don’t know that she likes me all that much, but she’s stuck with me.” 

“She likes you,” Sabrina assured him. “I dare say she even loves you.”

“She has to love me,” Nick reminded her. “I’m her only grandchild.” He picked up his hot chocolate and took a sip. “This is really good.” 

“Hilda’s recipe.” She left it at that. 

They talked for a few more minutes, Nick again steering the conversation away from his relationship with his grandmother. When he finished off the last of his hot chocolate, he decided it was time for him to go. He stood and took his cup to the sink. 

“Need anything else hung or strung or flocked before I head out?” he asked. 

“I’m all set,” Sabrina said. She walked with him out onto the porch. “Thank you, Nick. Really. You have no idea how much help you were today.” 

“Would it be weird for me to admit I had fun?” he asked. “I haven’t done anything like that in a long time.” 

“I would think you were crazy if you didn’t have fun,” Sabrina countered. “This is the best time of the year.” Nick didn’t bother arguing with that although he strongly disagreed. He thought Christmas was entirely commercialized and had lost its meaning a long time ago. “Thank you again, Nick. I know I commandeered your day.” 

“I didn’t mind at all.” He really hadn’t. “I’ll see you around, Spellman.” 

“See you around,” Sabrina repeated. She stood on her porch and waved at him as he backed out of her driveway. Inside, she sat down on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest. She smiled as she took in her Christmas tree, her very first one in her very first house. She had been hesitant to accept Nick’s help, well aware that it was likely not his “thing” to traipse around Greendale doing holiday errands with her. But he had and she thought he really had had fun. 

She certainly had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the little glimpses of Nick we get through each update and the way he shows bits of himself to Sabrina each time they cross paths. Perhaps they should do some more Christmas things? Perhaps we might see Mr. Green again? And now we know why Sabrina loves snow globes so... 
> 
> I'm currently packing up my apartment to move to Los Angeles, but I'm going to do the most to get the rest of this fic out by Christmas. No promises, but I think we'd be okay to drag it out a few extra days, no? Only a few more updates left!
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this one!


	5. Tree Lighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!

Theo and Robin watched Sabrina carefully. 

She took a long sip of her drink and pretended not to notice. 

She couldn’t not notice. 

“What?” she asked. 

“Are you okay?” Theo replied. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“Because we’re sitting here, waiting for your best friend and your ex-boyfriend to show up and tell us they’re engaged,” Robin reminded her. 

“Which is a happy occasion,” Sabrina reminded them. 

“But isn’t it a little – weird?” Theo asked. “You and Harvey were basically royalty back in the day.” 

“Key phrase there?” Sabrina countered. “‘Back in the day.’ Harvey and Roz have been together for years. We knew this was coming.” She took another sip of her drink. “I’m happy for them.” 

“Are you buying what she’s selling?” Robin asked Theo.

“Maybe.” Theo sounded skeptical. “But I’d get the extended warranty, just in case.” 

Sabrina glared at them. She opened her mouth to retort but didn’t have time. Roz and Harvey walked in, Roz shining so bright Sabrina expected the whole bar to go blind. 

“‘Brina!” Roz rushed for their table. Sabrina put on her biggest, brightest smile as she stood to greet her friend. “Oh my God!” 

“Anything exciting to share?” Sabrina asked with a twinkle in her eye. Roz held up her left hand. A solitaire diamond caught the light. “Roz!” The two girls shrieked in excitement and hugged one another tightly while Theo and Robin congratulated Harvey. When they pulled apart, Sabrina turned to Harvey. “Congratulations, Harvey!” 

“Thank you, ‘Brina.” He hugged her tight. “I’m glad you’re here to celebrate with us.” Her smile was real, if not tinged with a bit of sadness. 

“Me too.” 

Harvey’s returned smile was similar. They had broken up a full eight years ago and he had been with Roz for the last five, but there was still something bittersweet about the moment. 

“We already have champagne,” Theo said. “And Sabrina showed up with cupcakes which Dorian tried to tell her she couldn't bring in, but you can imagine how that went.” 

“I see the cupcakes on the table,” Roz said with total fondness for her best friend. “No need to ask how it went. Shall we?” 

The next hour was spent celebrating Roz and Harvey’s engagement. Sabrina took the opportunity glanced around the room while Harvey and Theo reminisced about their days on the basketball team. Her eyes fell on a dark head of curls that was becoming more and more familiar. She excused herself and approached the bar. 

“Drinking away your sorrows?” 

Nick felt something in his body spring to life at her voice. 

“I have spent the last four days trying to find something – anything – to do,” he admitted. “A glass of bourbon not sneaked in my bedroom at my grandmother’s house fits the bill.” 

“Bored?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye. 

“Losing my mind,” he confirmed. “I have read a book a day and watched far more television than I ever thought possible during my forced vacation. Although…” His own eyes twinkled. “Guess what I did earlier today?” 

“Find a way to convince your boss to re-open your company?” 

“Hardly,” Nick sniffed. “I took Amalia to Mr. Green’s to get a Christmas tree.” That bit of news made Sabrina light up. 

“You did?” 

“I did. It turns out his tree farm isn’t nearly as busy during the week, so he accompanied us. And while I was busy cutting down the tree Grandma chose, he asked her on a date.” 

Sabrina’s eyes widened. 

“He did?” she practically shrieked. “What did she say?” 

“She’s getting ready to go to dinner with him as we speak.” 

“That’s so great,” Sabrina said, still beaming. “He said he always had a crush on her back in high school.” 

“I was basically my grandmother’s wingman,” Nick mused. “Do you know how weird that is?” 

“I think it’s sweet,” Sabrina countered. “Mr. Green is lovely. Amalia will have a great time.” 

“Want to know something else scandalous about the trip?” Nick asked. 

“Dish.” 

Sabrina’s eyes danced. Both of them were leaning in to the other, but they had no idea they were doing it. It was simply the magnetism between them. 

“The tree Amalia chose has a gap in it. I pointed it out and she said ‘no big deal, we’ll just turn that side to the wall.’ Honestly? It’s all I can think about it. You can’t see it, but I know it's there.” Sabrina laughed, the reaction he was hoping for. It really did bug him that there was a big gap in the tree, even if no one could see it. He blamed Sabrina for that. 

“Did she flock it?” 

“No flocking. She hasn’t actually decorated it yet. That’s tomorrow’s plan.” He jerked his head over to the table he had noticed her at almost the moment he stepped into the bar a half hour earlier. “Celebrating something?” 

“My friends Harvey and Roz got engaged,” she told him. “I don’t think they’ve even told their parents yet. They came straight here to share the news with us, except we knew Harvey planned to propose, hence the cupcakes and champagne” 

“Big night then,” Nick mused. He wondered why she was over there talking to him when her friends – he recognized Theo and Robin and assumed the other two were the Harvey and Roz she had been talking about when they were on their way to cut down her own tree – were still drinking champagne and eating their way through a platter of cupcakes. “Shouldn’t you be over there, celebrating?” 

“I’ve been celebrating,” she said. “For the last hour.” 

Nick sensed something off in her tone. He had just enough bourbon in his system to make him bolder. 

“Do I detect a note of bitterness?” 

“Not bitterness, no,” she shook her head. “Roz has been my best friend since I was five years old. I’ve known Harvey almost as long. I’m thrilled for them.” 

“But?” Nick prompted. 

“But what?” 

“But… He’s not good enough for your best friend?” he guessed. 

“No,” Sabrina scoffed. “They’re perfect together!” 

“Harboring a crush on your best friend’s guy?” Nick continued. 

“Not quite.” 

“Ah, so I’m getting somewhere.” Nick turned his full body to her. He looked over her shoulder at the table she had left. Theo caught him looking and waved. Nick lifted his hand in a friendly greeting. The exchange made the others at the table look his way. He ignored their curious looks in favor of keeping his eyes on Sabrina. “I’ve got it. Ex-boyfriend.” 

“From a long time ago,” she admitted. “Like, a really long time ago.” 

Nick looked over her shoulder again to get a good look at this Harvey character. 

“The one in the flannel?” he clarified. He knew Theo and Robin and the only girl at the table had to be Roz. 

“That’s Harvey,” she confirmed. Nick raised his eyebrows. 

“You dated the flannel?” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sabrina countered. 

“He just looks – boring.” 

“You’re judging a book by its cover,” Sabrina accused. 

“Tell me I’m wrong,” he challenged. 

Sabrina bit her lip. She wanted to tell him he was wrong. She should tell him he was wrong. Harvey was her friend, and he was a good person. But Nick, unfortunately, was not wrong. 

“He’s a nice guy…” 

“Kiss of death,” Nick stated. “No guy wants to be labeled the ‘nice’ guy.” 

“What’s wrong with being a nice guy?” Sabrina wondered. 

“Nice guys are boring. Nice guys do all the right things, but they don’t do – all the right things. If you catch my drift.” Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Seriously, that guy was your boyfriend?” 

“When we were in high school,” Sabrina confessed. “We broke up my sophomore year of college.” 

“Because he was boring,” Nick guessed. 

“Because we wanted different things,” Sabrina corrected. “I wanted to be a journalist, see the world. He had different dreams.” 

“Ones that involve flannel?” 

“Honestly? Yes.” Sabrina glanced at their table again. Harvey had his arm around Roz. Her fingers were laced with his and they both radiated happiness as they talked to Theo and Robin. “He never wanted college, a career. He always knew he would go into the family business – mining – and stay here, settle down, have a family. It’s not that I didn’t want some of the same things he did. It’s that I wanted to see the world first. We tried to make it work, but we grew apart. I followed my dreams, he followed his” 

“And now he’s marrying the best friend,” Nick mused. “Quite the soap opera.” 

“Nothing like that,” Sabrina shook her head. “It’s just a little weird to think of my best friend marrying the guy I lost my virginity to.” 

“If he’s a nice, flannel wearing guy, I’d say you dodged a bullet,” Nick mused. He tapped his nearly empty glass of bourbon and ignored the bold virginity comment. “Want another drink? Maybe something a little harder than champagne?” 

No, thanks,” Sabrina shook her head. “I just thought I’d come say hi. I’m going to get back over there, see if there’s any champagne left.” She turned to walk away, but a thought occurred to her. She acted before she could stop herself. “Hey Nick?” 

“Spellman?” he countered. 

“We’re planning to walk over to the town Christmas Tree lighting. It’s a little cheesy, but there’s music, food, things like that. Very Small Town, America and probably not your style at all, but if you want to come with us…” She trailed off and waited for his answer. 

“I wouldn’t want to intrude…” 

It was the polite thing to say, but it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted to say ‘yes.’ He didn’t exactly want to go to a Christmas tree lighting, but he found he wanted to spend time with Sabrina. Besides, his grandmother was gone, and the house was empty. It was one thing when he had work to do to keep him occupied. But without work, he would be wandering around a n empty house, trying and failing to find something to occupy himself. Sabrina and a tree lighting sounded like a good alternative. 

“You wouldn’t be,” she assured him. She chanced a small smile. “I could use the company. I’m kind of the fifth wheel, in case you didn’t notice. Roz and Harvey will break off sooner rather than later to share the news with their parents, and Robin and Theo can’t keep their hands off of one another. Help a girl out and tag along?” 

“Well, when you put it like that, far be it from me to pass on the opportunity to help a damsel in distress.” 

“Finish that drink,” she directed with a still bigger smile. “We’re leaving soon.” 

“Just let me close my tab,” Nick replied. 

Sabrina nodded and returned to her friends. 

“ _That’s_ Amalia’s grandson?” Roz asked. She had briefly met Amalia a few days ago when she and Sabrina met up for lunch at Dr. Cerberus and had heard more than a bit about him from Sabrina after Amalia left. Theo had confirmed the stranger’s identity. “You didn’t do his looks justice!” 

“Sitting right here,” Harvey teased. Roz rolled her eyes fondly. 

“He’s hot, right?” Theo asked. “Sorry, Robin.” 

“No apologies needed,” Robin waved his hand. “I agree entirely.” 

“I invited him to join us,” Sabrina told them. “His grandmother is out tonight and the only thing sadder than him drinking alone at the bar is him sitting at home alone.” 

“Oooh we get to meet this guy.” Roz rubbed her hands together in a conspiratorial kind of way. 

“He’s got a crush on Sabrina,” Theo reported. 

“He does not!” Sabrina protested. 

“Oh, he does,” Robin agreed. “He was practically glued to your side at Thanksgiving.” 

“Because I was one of the only people there he knew,” Sabrina reminded them. “And we were partners for the gingerbread house building contest.”

“If you say so,” Theo shrugged. 

“Didn’t he spend all of Saturday with you?” Roz asked. “Helping you put up all of your Christmas stuff?” 

“Well, yeah, but Amalia volunteered him…” 

“Doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who wouldn’t say no if he wanted to,” Robin mused. “I only talked to him for a few minutes at Thanksgiving – he was too busy talking to you…” Sabrina rolled her eyes, “ – but he sounds like he’s got a pretty important job, like he’s not afraid of speaking up, running the show.” 

“Sounds like someone else we know,” Roz said, eyes on Sabrina. Sabrina gave her a look. Roz just shrugged. Harvey, however, remained quiet. 

“He didn’t have anything else to do when Amalia volunteered him,” Sabrina said. “He was being nice, helped me, that was it.” She saw Nick slide off his barstool as he slipped his wallet in his pocket. “He’s coming over. Stop talking about him.” 

Nick looked apprehensive as he approached. Sabrina gave him an encouraging smile, sure he felt like an outsider to her group of friends, and stood to greet him. 

“Nick, you know Theo and Robin,” she said. They exchanged pleasantries. “And this is Roz Walker and Harvey Kinkle.” 

“Nice to meet you,” Nick extended his hand to shake Harvey’s. Sabrina couldn’t recall a single time she had ever seen Harvey shake hands outside of things like high school graduation. She found the whole thing amusing. He had no need for the gesture in his day-to-day life having known the same people all his life. Alternatively, a handshake for Nick was as natural as breathing. “I hear congratulations are in order?” 

“They are!” Roz beamed as she too shook Nick’s hand. “Thank you!” 

“A stranger knows about our engagement before our parents,” Harvey quipped. 

“Technically our parents know,” Roz reminded him. “You did ask for my dad’s permission, and they all knew you were asking tonight.” 

“True,” Harvey grumbled. Sabrina shot him a curious look. He wasn’t being entirely rude, but there was a definite edge to his tone that she didn’t understand. She hoped Nick didn’t pick up on it. 

“Want a cupcake?” Theo offered Nick. “They’re delicious. I’ve had two.” 

“No thanks,” Nick shook his head. “I appreciate it though.” 

“More for me,” Theo shrugged. 

“More for us,” Robin corrected with a grin. 

“Sure,” Theo nodded. 

Roz checked the time. “We should probably get going. My dad’s choir goes on in fifteen minutes.” 

“How do we want to split the bill?” Theo asked. “Never mind, Harvey and Roz don’t pay, and Sabrina both made the cupcakes and argued with Dorian about bringing them in. Robin and I will cover the champagne.” 

“I’ve already taken care of it,” Sabrina confessed. “I called ahead to make sure Dorian chilled a bottle for us, and I paid for it while I was on the phone.” 

“Expect venmos,” Robin said as he took out his phone. 

“It’s fine…” 

“Expect venmos,” Theo echoed. Sabrina just rolled her eyes. 

Nick stood by as he waited for Sabrina and her friends to gather their things. He wasn’t so sure he liked the Harvey one, but he remembered what his grandmother told him about second impressions and committed to behaving himself. 

They left the bar as a group and walked the few short blocks to the town square. Sabrina stuck close to his side, but Nick found he actually did like Theo and Robin. They were funny, smart, different in the best way. Roz, too, seemed like someone he could like, even as she spent most of her time talking to Sabrina and Harvey. Harvey, however, said little to him. He didn’t mind. It meant he didn’t have to fake nice. There was something about the guy that rubbed him the wrong way. 

It was freezing out, the temperatures in the upper twenties, the air clear and cold. The town sparkled with lights wrapped around every available surface. Sabrina was so enraptured by it all that she didn’t notice the slick spot on the sidewalk. She had just enough time to realize she was falling before a strong arm wrapped around her. 

“Careful, Spellman,” Nick said as he righted her by swiftly pulling her into his chest. “You okay?” 

“I’m okay,” she nodded. He still had his arm around her. Her own hands had landed on his chest She took a half of a second to note how cozy it was in his arms before they let one another go. “Old man Michins has a habit of dumping his mop water out the front door of his pharmacy. The town council has told him not to do it time and time again because of exactly what just happened, but you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” 

“I would have represented you if you fell,” Robin offered. “I could probably still come up with some sort of claim if you want.” Sabrina chuckled as they resumed walking. 

“That won’t be necessary,” she assured Robin. 

“You’re a lawyer?” Nick asked. 

The conversation about Robin’s law practice took them into the heart of the tree lighting. Nick learned that Roz’s father was a pastor and had to admit that his church choir wasn’t half bad. He had a different feeling about the toddlers dressed like reindeer that attempted to follow their teacher’s lead and dance along to, of course, “Jingle Bell Rock.” 

As Sabrina predicted, her friends drifted away. Harvey and Roz disappeared first, off to find their families and celebrate their engagement. Theo and Robin wandered away a little later, muttering something about coffee, but if the looks they were giving each other were any indication, Nick was certain he wouldn’t see them again that night. He was quite content to be left alone with Sabrina. 

“You were one of those reindeers as a kid, weren’t you?” he asked. Sabrina laughed. 

“I was,” she confirmed. “So was Roz. It’s practically a rite of passage in this town to be subjected to Miss Molly’s dance classes at least once.” 

“No prima ballerina dreams?” 

“Those belonged to Roz,” she told him. “I did cheerleading and soccer.” 

“Interesting combination.” 

“It gave me an excuse to stay out past curfew,” Sabrina shrugged. “I had an awful lot of games that ran ‘late.’” Nick laughed. “I bet you pulled that trick a time or two yourself, Scratch.” 

“I just full on broke curfew,” he admitted. “I came home to angry parents plenty of times in high school. Lost my car keys quite a few times, too.” He grinned. “I always got them back within a few days though. Benefits of having busy parents – it was easier on their schedules to let me drive myself to and from games and practices.” 

“You played sports?” 

“Football and tennis,” he confirmed. “I preferred tennis. I liked that I could just handle things myself, didn’t have to worry about a whole team to get things right. Football was just something to do in the fall and it helped keep me in shape for tennis.” 

“What did your parents do?” Sabrina continued, curious if he would say anything about them. She sensed he didn’t like to talk about them. She understood that, even if she herself didn’t mind remembering her family. 

“My dad was a lawyer.” That explained his well-asked questions of Robin’s legal practice. “A damned good one. He had a lot of high-profile clients in D.C. I can’t say I always agreed with him on his definition of right and wrong and the messes he got some of his clients out of, but I guess that’s politics, right?” Sabrina nodded. “My mom was a nurse practitioner. I don’t know how they did it. They had me when they were really young and somehow still pulled off college, these incredible careers.” 

“When people are determined, they can do just about anything,” Sabrina said. 

“What about your parents?” Nick asked. “What did they do?” 

“My dad was a surgeon,” Sabrina shared. “World renowned. He traveled a lot, consulting, operating on patients.” She smiled a bit. “My mom was also a writer. She did a lot of work for the local paper but had freelance pieces in all kinds of magazines. I made an album of her work and I read it from time to time. She liked it because she could be home with me, travel with my dad.”

“She sounds pretty incredible,” Nick said. “So does your dad.” 

“They were awesome,” Sabrina said wistfully. “Just like I’m sure your parents were.” They shared an understanding smile. A familiar figure caught her eye just over Nick’s shoulder. She beamed. “Looks like Amalia’s date is going well.” 

“What?” Nick looked over his shoulder and groaned. There, not twenty yards away, was his grandmother, looking every bit the teenager falling head over heels as she laughed at something Mr. Green said. He intended to turn back to Sabrina and suggest they move along to avoid being spotted, but it was too late. 

“Nicholas?” Amalia called out. Her eyes widened. “And Sabrina!” 

“Dammit,” Nick muttered. “Pretend we didn’t hear…” 

“Hi, Amalia!” Sabrina blazed right past him. Nick blew out an irritated breath. He had no choice but to follow. “You look beautiful!” She did. She had swept her long gray hair into an elegant twist and put on just a hint of makeup. Her long coat was tailored, and Sabrina guessed whatever outfit she had on under it was equally as put together. “Mr. Green! So nice to see you!” 

“You’re always such a sweetheart,” Amalia said as she hugged Sabrina. She had the audacity to wink at Nick as he approached at a much slower rate. “The cold air suits you, all rosy cheeked and happy.” 

“I do love this time of year,” Sabrina admitted. “Mr. Green, is the town tree one of yours?” 

“Sure is,” he said proudly. “Fifteen years running. I plan to keep the streak alive for a long time to come.” 

“It’s a beautiful one,” Sabrina said. 

“Hey Grandma,” Nick greeted. “Mr. Green,” he added with a polite nod. 

“Hi there, Nicholas,” Mr. Green greeted him happily. “Enjoying the night?” 

“Beats sitting at home,” he said by way of answer. 

“I didn’t know you were planning to leave the house,” Amalia hinted as she tried to figure out how Nick had ended up with Sabrina. 

“I went out for a drink,” Nick answered. “Sabrina was there with some friends and invited me to join them for this.” He waved his hand to indicate the hubbub around him. 

“He’s doing me a favor,” Sabrina jumped in. “As you can see, my friends have abandoned me. I knew they would, so Nick is keeping me company.”

“Always the gentleman, my grandson,” Amalia quipped. 

“We were headed to get some hot cider,” Nick said in an effort to extricate himself from his grandmother before her questions got even more pointed. Sabrina raised an eyebrow. That was news to her. “We should probably do that before the tree lighting.” 

“Yes, we’re going to find a good place to watch,” Amalia agreed. She saw right through Nick’s lie, but let him have his victory. She had her own date to attend to. “I’ll see you at home, Nicholas. Sabrina? It was a pleasure as always.” 

They bid Mr. Green a goodnight – Sabrina more so than Nick – and Nick didn’t hesitate to put his hand on her low back and steer her away. 

“Hot cider?” she asked as they walked towards the row of vendors selling goods. 

“It’s awkward enough that my grandmother is on a date,” Nick said. “I didn’t want to hang around and have a conversation with them.” 

“You don’t like Mr. Green,” Sabrina observed.

“Mr. Green is perfectly fine,” Nick insisted. “It’s just the idea of my grandmother dating. That’s weird, Spellman, no matter how you shake it out.” Sabrina laughed. Nick’s hand was still on her low back. He realized it and let it fall away, but it felt weird now, for it to be hanging by his side instead of touching her. He pushed that thought away. “Besides, you’re getting a hot cider – or your drink of choice – out of going along with the lie.” 

“I won’t say no to a hot cider,” Sabrina confirmed. She let Nick buy them each a steaming styrofoam cup of hot apple cider. “Thank you,” she said as she accepted hers. 

“Thank you,” Nick countered. “You’re quite the accomplice, Spellman.” 

“I’ve been known to cause trouble in my day,” she said seriously. “Had to know how to get myself out of it, didn’t I?” 

“You? Trouble?” Nick shook his head. “Not a chance. You’ve got that sweet and innocent thing going on.” 

“How do you think I pulled it off?” Sabrina asked. “Dorian threatened to throw me out of his bar just tonight for having the audacity to bring cupcakes into his establishment despite the ‘no outside food’ sign on the door.” 

“You’re a rebel, Spellman.” 

“There’s always a loophole,” Sabrina continued. “Dorian’s sign said ‘no outside food.’ My cupcakes were not an outside job. I made them myself, in my kitchen.” 

“Bit of a stretch…” 

“I held my ground and there were cupcakes to prove it.” 

“What other rule breaking have you gotten into?” Nick asked, entirely amused. 

“Well, they tried to ban a bunch of books from the Baxter High library. I wouldn’t hear of it, started a riot. By riot I mean there were like five us who made a stink about it, but the books stayed put. And then Roz and I started WICCA…” 

“A witchcraft club?” Nick interrupted. 

“Women’s Intersectional Cultural and Creative Association,” Sabrina informed him. “Women were being treated poorly at that school, so I did something about it. Maybe tricked the principal into approving the club. I broke into the mines with Prudence and her sisters to put a few of the jocks in their place. Broke a slew of rules in college around things like hot plates and space heaters in my dorm, perhaps some underage drinking. We won’t discuss the traffic laws I’ve broken over the years. And never mind the real kicker.” 

“Which is?” 

Sabrina leaned in like she was about to tell him a state secret. 

“I haven’t always put my seat completely upright and locked when the plane is about to land.” 

Nick burst out laughing. 

“Wow, Spellman,” he shook his head. “I don’t know if I should be seen with you.”

“It’s a risk,” Sabrina agreed. “You’re walking around with a real criminal.” 

“I think I’ll take my chances,” Nick told her. “I’ve gotten in some trouble of my own as it is.” 

“Do tell,” Sabrina requested. 

“Run of the mill stuff, really,” Nick said. “I mentioned breaking curfew. I did that a lot. Like, a lot.” Sabrina chuckled. “I got a speeding ticket the same day I got my driver’s license, so I got my brand new car taken away. That time it actually did last for the promised full month. I thought my dad would get me out of it, but he made me go to driving school and pay a very hefty fine. I also had to pay for my own car insurance which meant I had to get a job.” 

“Terrible parenting,” Sabrina quipped. 

“The worst,” Nick agreed. He looked back on the memory fondly now, but as a sixteen-year-old, he wasn’t so happy about it. “I got put on probation my freshman year at Harvard for underage drinking in my dorm room. That one pissed my mom off pretty good, but my dad gave me a hard time while she was listening, only to give me that kind of ‘atta boy’ clap on the shoulder and grin once she left the room. The time I had to call them to bail me out of jail was the crowning moment thought.” 

Sabrina stopped in her tracks. 

“You were arrested?” 

“Shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die…” 

She huffed and rolled her eyes. He laughed. 

“I did get arrested,” he said. “After the Harvard versus Yale football game my junior year. We had a party at my frat house…” 

“Of course you were in a frat,” Sabrina commented. 

“...and a few of us ventured away from the frat house, had a little bit too much fun in public. Dad was a little more upset that time. I got a lot of community service out of that one. Double what my friends got. Pretty sure my dad had something to do with that. More of that terrible parenting, but Boston was well-served and I had learned my lesson by the time I was done.” 

“Your dad sounds like he was a pretty great guy,” Sabrina chanced. 

“He was,” Nick nodded. It was time to change the subject. “So, this Christmas tree lighting. Do we need to stake out a spot or…? 

“It’s Greendale,” Sabrina reminded him. “No need to claim real estate to watch the tree light up, but we should probably head towards said tree.” They set out down the block towards where the town was gathering around the giant tree in the center of it. It dripped with large baubles and a massive star was perched on top. “What was your job?” 

“I’m a business analyst…” 

“No, I mean in high school to pay that car insurance bill,” she interrupted. “Please tell me you worked in a frozen yogurt shop and wore one of those spiffy diner-style shirts.” 

“Guess again,” Nick encouraged. 

“Lifeguard,” Sabrina said instantly. “That feels like something you would have done.” 

“Nope. One more guess.” 

Sabrina gave him a very serious look. 

“You were a teenage business analyst, weren’t you? Some kind of prodigy?” Nick laughed. He seemed to do that a lot with Sabrina. 

“No,” he shook his head. “That came along post-college. But to answer your question, I was a carhop at Sonic.” 

Sabrina stopped in her tracks. 

“No way.” 

“It’s the God’s honest truth,” Nick swore. 

“You were a carhop?” 

“I was.” 

“Please _please_ tell me you roller skated.” 

Nick took her in, eyes big and shining, her smile bright. Something in him shifted. He didn’t understand it, hadn’t felt anything like it before, but it happened all the same. 

“I didn’t roller skate.” She looked disappointed. “I rollerbladed.” That made her lips turn up in a smile. “It was way cooler than roller skating.” 

“Did you fall?” 

“With a tray full of shakes,” Nick confirmed. “Because of course that was the moment I chose to bite the asphalt.” Sabrina laughed heartily. 

“You have made my night, Scratch.” 

Nick thought she might have made his as well. 

“Before you ask, there aren’t any pictures.” 

“There has to be a picture.” 

“There isn’t. I made sure of it.” 

“That’s disappointing,” Sabrina quipped. 

The town’s mayor stepped up to the microphone to begin the tree lighting, effectively ending their conversation. Nick tried to pay attention to the waxing on the mayor was doing, but he kept sneaking glances at Sabrina. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he thought Amalia was right. He thought he liked her. More than a friend liked another friend. 

He was pulled out of his reverie by the tree blazing to life after an exuberant countdown Sabrina gleefully participated in. Once the tree was lit, the crowd quickly started to disperse, the event officially over. Nick thought fast, not quite ready to part with Sabrina. 

“You want to get a nightcap?” he asked. “I assume your car is parked somewhere near Dorian’s. We could get a drink there.” 

“Crap!” Sabrina exclaimed. Nick raised his eyebrow. 

“Crap? If you aren’t a fan of nightcaps…” 

“No, sorry,” Sabrina shook her head. “I just realized I don’t have a ride home. Theo picked me up and now he’s MIA with Robin. I’ll have to walk home.” 

“I’ll take you home,” Nick said. It was a built-in excuse to extend his time with her. He thought he might even owe Theo a drink for bailing on her. “My car is at Dorian’s. We get a nightcap, I drive you home.” 

“Would you mind?” Sabrina asked. “I wouldn’t mind walking usually, but it’s dark and it’s cold…” 

“I wouldn’t let you walk home in the dark and cold,” Nick told her. “I don’t mind at all. Driving a pretty girl home? Not a bad way to end a night.” Sabrina smiled at him. He wondered if he could google whatever the long way to her house was without raising her suspicions. “Come along, Spellman.” He put his hand on her low back, intent on guiding her towards Dorian’s a few blocks away. “There are drinks with our names on it.”

“Actually....” 

“No drink?” Nick guessed. He felt disappointment creeping in. 

“How about frozen yogurt?” she suggested. 

“Frozen yogurt?” Nick repeated. “I believe you just pointed out that its cold.” 

“I know, but now that I’ve thought of it, it’s all I can think of,” she said diplomatically. “There’s a place just up there.” She pointed down the street. “They have dairy-free options and because it's cold, it probably won’t be too busy.” 

“Frozen yogurt it is,” Nick agreed. He was starting to realize she could probably talk him into just about anything. It was a thought that should worry him, but it didn’t. Not the way it should. He kept his hand on her back as they walked along the sidewalk. She didn’t mind. She found it – nice. 

She was right in her statement that the frozen yogurt place wouldn’t be too busy. Sabrina went right for the machines while Nick hung back, reading the dairy-free options. Vanilla and blueberry tart. Neither was particularly appealing, not when there was chocolate, peanut butter, cake batter, and just about every other flavor imaginable. He sighed and picked up a yogurt cup. 

“Don’t you dare tell Amalia,” Nick warned Sabrina. 

“Tell her what?” she asked as she filled her cup with her favorite peanut butter chocolate swirl. 

“That I’m eating dairy. I’ll never live it down.” 

Sabrina laughed heartily. “Je sais que vous pouvez manger du gluten et des produits laitiers.”

“What does that mean?” Nick asked. “It all sounds like one long word when you say it.” 

“You’ll have to learn French to find out,” Sabrina shrugged. “But don’t worry, Scratch. Your dairy secret is safe with me.” 

They topped their frozen yogurts and Nick had to admire Sabrina’s devotion to eating as many sweets as she could get her hands on. He also had to admit that the dairy-filled frozen yogurt in his cup just tasted better. Too soon, they were in her driveway. 

“It’s still kind of early,” Sabrina ventured. She too found she wasn’t ready to call it a night with Nick. She liked having him around. “I was planning to watch a movie. Want to come in, watch with me?” 

“If you want…” He tried not to appear too eager. He wondered if this is what it was like for others when they found themselves really liking someone and not sure where they stood with them. He couldn’t tell if Sabrina liked him or if she was just being nice because her aunt and his grandmother were friends. “I don’t want to overstay my welcome.” 

“I asked,” Sabrina reminded him. She opened her car door. “Come on.” 

Nick followed her inside. She took his coat and hung it on the stair railing while she herself kicked off her shoes and somehow instantly looked more comfortable. 

“What are we watching?” he asked once they were settled on the couch with the hot tea she insisted they needed. “Some cheesy Christmas movie I’m guessing.” 

“Actually, I was planning to watch _Poltergeist_.” Nick’s eyebrows shot up. “I love a cheesy Christmas movie, but my true movie love is horror films. The older the better. I haven’t seen _Poltergeist_ in a while and Robin made a reference to it earlier so here we are.” 

“I did not see that coming,” Nick admitted. 

“You think I love Christmas? You have seen nothing. Halloween is where it’s at. My birthday is on Halloween and I go all in, no matter where I am in the world. Which has earned me some questionable looks in places that don’t celebrate Halloween.” 

“I can only imagine,” Nick said. He leaned back on her comfortable couch. She hit the play button and she got cozy too. 

Sabrina expected Nick to be jumpy. She expected him to watch the movie through partially closed eyes or even with his fingers held over his face. Instead, he was steadfast at her side, comfortable and as into the movie as she was. 

Except he kept glancing at her. She would catch him when she glanced at _him_. She couldn't help it. She had been struck by how handsome he was right away, but then he opened his mouth and she found him cocky and suddenly less attractive. That opinion had changed though as she spent more time around him. She got the impression there was a lot more to him than what he wanted everyone to see. He was smart, funny. He tried to bury it, but he had a compassionate side too. Any guy that willingly spent weeks moving his grandmother into a new home had to. She was certainly intrigued. 

“Want to watch the second one?” she asked when the movie ended. 

Nick didn’t check the time, but he knew it was well after ten o’clock. The responsible thing to do would be to call it a night, to go home and let Sabrina have the rest of her evening. 

“Why not?” he shrugged. 

Responsible wasn’t the word people would use to describe him outside of the office anyway. 

Sabrina pulled a throw off the back of her couch and draped it over her lap. She pulled her knees up to her chest and Nick wondered when she had gotten so close to him. Or had he moved closer to her? He wasn’t sure, but he was fine with it either way. He sighed in contentment and thought she hadn’t been exaggerating when she called her couch too comfortable the day they had shared a table to work at Hilda’s. It was cozy, the lights off, her Christmas tree twinkling. 

The next thing he knew, an obnoxious noise that wasn’t coming from the TV broke through the quiet. Nick blinked his eyes open and realized he had fallen asleep. So had Sabrina. She rested on his chest and his arm had wrapped around her. Whatever the noise was stopped and for a moment, his thoughts were still slow enough that he didn’t bother to wonder how they had gotten into this situation. He let his eyes close once more. 

The noise started up again. This time, Sabrina stirred too. 

“What…” She lifted her head from his chest, groggy and a little too comfortable to be bothered to move any faster. 

“My phone,” Nick realized. He had taken it out of his pocket and put it on the coffee table earlier. He leaned forward and grabbed it while Sabrina sat upright and stretched her arms overhead. He checked the screen and swiped to answer. “Grandma?” 

“Nicholas!” came her frantic voice. “Where are you? Are you okay? It’s after midnight…” 

“I’m at Sabrina’s,” he answered. “We were watching a movie and fell asleep.” 

“You’re okay?” Amalia clarified. 

“I’m fine.” He stifled a yawn. “Sorry to worry you. I’ll be home in a few minutes.” 

He hung up and yawned again, thinking to cover his mouth at the last second. Sabrina ran a hand through her hair and couldn’t help but take in how handsome Nick looked with his hair rumpled and sleep in his features. 

“Amalia?” she asked. 

“Apparently she was worried,” Nick confirmed. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” 

“Me either,” Sabrina shook her head. “Sorry for using you as a pillow.” 

“I didn’t mind.” He smiled at her. “You weren’t kidding about this couch being comfortable.” 

“If cocaine was a couch, it would be this one,” Sabrina stated, making Nick laugh. 

“I should probably go,” he said. He didn’t want to. 

“Yeah,” Sabrina agreed. She was in no hurry to walk him to the door. 

Neither of them made any effort to move. 

“Thanks for letting me crash your night. I had fun.” 

“Thanks for keeping me company,” Sabrina countered. “Even if my couch put you to sleep.” 

He laughed and made himself get to his feet. Sabrina did the same and followed him to the front door. He made up his mind as he opened the door to leave, ushering in a blast of cold air in the process that served to wake him up a little more. 

“Sabrina, could I take you to dinner?” he asked. 

“Would this be a date?” she replied. She had learned the hard way not to assume after a particularly disastrous outing with a handsome Frenchman. 

“I’d like it to be,” Nick nodded. “If that’s okay with you.” She smiled at how genuine he sounded, how cautious he was. 

“It’s okay with me,” she nodded. “Tomorrow?” 

“I was thinking today,” Nick said cheekily. “Since it’s after midnight and all.” Sabrina laughed. 

“Today,” she agreed. “Pick me up at six?” 

“I’ll be here.” 

She told him goodnight and shut and locked the door behind him. She leaned against it like the lead in every romantic comedy she had ever seen did and smiled to herself. She didn’t know what would become of whatever was blossoming between the pair of them, but she wasn’t going to fight it or try to define it. She had always followed her heart and trusted her instincts. It got messy sometimes, but it never led her wrong in the end. 

She pushed off the door and went through the house to turn off the lights. When she climbed into her bed after washing her face, she couldn’t help but think it wasn’t quite as comfortable as her couch had been. 

It certainly wasn’t as warm without Nick to lean into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I packed a lot of cheese and Christmas into that one and I'm not sorry about it. A few more updates to go to wrap this one up!


	6. Botanical Gardens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOTS of Nabrina ahead... But two important notes: 
> 
> 1) If you're not a fan of more mature intimate scenes, skip ahead when the movie starts. 
> 
> 2) There is an honest moment about Nick's sexuality in this update. I hope I did it justice. As the sister and niece of those who identify as non-straight, it's important to me to get this as close to right as I can. It's not a big scene, but it's a moment of honesty that felt right in this story.

“There’s my little scoundrel,” Amalia greeted Nick as he dragged himself into the kitchen the next morning. “Have a good night?” He glared at her. She laughed. “One would think you would have a bit of a spring in your step after spending the evening with beautiful company.”

“My evening was great,” Nick said. “It’s the wakeup this morning I’m not fond of.” Amalia laughed again as he poured a cup of coffee. “And for the record? We were watching a movie. We fell asleep. You called and woke us up.”

“Sweet of Sabrina to invite you out with her,” Amalia said as she sipped her own cup of coffee. “Did you have fun at least?”

“She invited me in to watch a movie, didn’t she?” He stirred in his dairy-free creamer and remembered how good his dairy-filled frozen yogurt the night before had tasted. “I didn’t realize I had a curfew.”

“Given that you’ve been holed up in this house come nightfall ever since you’ve been here, I was worried. Thought the Putnam pigs might have gotten you.”

“Grandma,” Nick groaned.

“What? Pigs eat anything. I was listening to a murder podcast and the rumor was that the woman that was missing was murdered by a farmer and fed to his pigs.”

“What in the hell are you listening to?” Nick asked.

“I like true crime,” she shrugged. “I was worried when you didn’t come home. It was late, you don’t know Greendale all that well. Forgive an old woman for worrying. Had I known you were still with Sabrina, I certainly wouldn’t have interrupted.”

“Like I said, we fell asleep watching a movie.” Nick poured himself a bowl of gluten-free cereal. “Not a big deal.” Except he had fallen asleep in his own bed thinking about how comfortable he had been on Sabrina’s couch with her petite frame tucked against his.

“You like her,” Amalia stated as she removed frozen waffles from the freezer.

“She’s a hard person not to like,” Nick countered as he poured almond milk over his cereal. “You certainly seem to like her.”

“You know what I mean,” Amalia waved her hand. “I said it at Thanksgiving. You _like_ her.” Nick sighed again. He decided to rip off the bandage as he sat down at the table with his breakfast. It was a small town, and he was learning that Hilda or someone else who knew his grandmother would likely spot them and report back to his grandmother before he was home from his date anyway.

“I’m taking her to dinner tonight.”

Amalia stopped, a waffle hanging over the toaster.

“Is this a date?” she questioned.

“It is,” Nick confirmed. “She even asked me if it was a date.”

His grandmother’s smile was even bigger than he expected it to be.

“Look at that. My grandson and my best friend’s niece.”

“Don’t go renting out a hall,” Nick warned. “It’s just dinner.”

“Hmm,” she replied as she proceeded with dropping her waffles into the toaster. “The Spellmans have a way of getting under your skin and staying there. Look at me and Hilda. Thick as thieves since we were ten years old, even after living all these years in different cities.”

“It’s just dinner,” Nick repeated. “Speaking of dates, I might regret asking this, but how was your night out with Mr. Green last night?”

“Oh, Chavis was wonderful,” Amalia said with a wistful smile.

“His name is Chavis?” Nick questioned. “Did his parents hate him?”

“It’s a family name,” Amalia chided him. “I like it. It’s dignified.”

“Sure,” Nick shrugged.

“I’m having him over for dinner tomorrow night, so be on your best behavior or make yourself scarce.” Nick already knew which of those options he would take. He had no interest in watching his grandmother flirt with a man named Chavis.

“What are you planning on feeding him?” Nick asked. “Keep in mind that you’re waiting for frozen waffles to pop out of the toaster right now and it smells like they’re burning.”

“Oh shoot!” Amalia popped the toaster. Her waffles were a bit browner than she would like, but she deemed them edible. “I plan to make my specialty, thank you very much.”

“And that would be?” Nick pressed. His grandmother was a lot of things, but a good cook was not one of them.

“Whatever Hilda makes for me to pass off as my own.” Nick laughed. “I’ve already sent her my SOS text message. She’s on it.”

“Don’t lead him on too long,” Nick advised. “If he thinks you’re a good cook and then finds out the truth…”

“Oh hush,” she chided. She doused her waffles with syrup and then a generous amount of whip cream. She was aware that her eating habits compared to Nick’s were probably the exact opposite of what they should have been, but she had never been one for the more domestic pursuits. Frozen food was simply easier. “Where are you taking Sabrina tonight?” she asked as she sat down.

“I was doing some googling before I came downstairs,” he admitted. “Just trying to figure out what was around here. There’s a light display at some garden nearby, a town called Riverdale?”

“About a half hour from here, yeah,” Amalia nodded.

“She likes Christmas, stuff like that. I thought she might like that.”

Amalia considered Nick as he spooned more cereal into his mouth. He was putting effort into this date with Sabrina. She wondered if he had even realized how much consideration he was putting into what was apparently “just a dinner.”

“I think she would love that,” she agreed. “I know that light display. It’s a beautiful botanical garden any time of the year, but at Christmas? They leave no branch or flower undecorated.”

“They have a cafe,” he continued. “We can get something to eat there.”

“She will love it,” Amalia assured him. It really was a perfect date for Sabrina. “Dress warm. It’s going to be even colder tonight. Still no snow in the forecast though. Can’t believe that.”

“Sabrina mentioned the no snow thing too,” Nick said. “Personally, I’m all for it, even if it is a sign of global warming. Snow just makes everything messy and even colder.”

“Snow is beautiful,” Amalia argued. “It coats everything in a little bit of magic.”

“Yes, with that nice layer of grime on top of it, never mind when the city pushes snow and blocks your car in, and you have to shovel it out. To make it even more fun, it’s always packed tight and icy by the time you’re able to get your hands on a snow shovel.”

“You haven’t seen snow in a place like Greendale,” Amalia told him. “You’re used to city snow which I admit, isn’t nearly as beautiful thanks to the pollution and all of the people walking all over it. Wait until you look out over the fields around us and see a fresh coat of snow.”

“With cows in it,” Nick sniffed.

“As for getting your hands on a snow shovel, one would think you would have enough sense to buy a snow shovel living in a place like Boston.” Nick glared at her even though she had a point. She laughed. “What are you planning for today while you wait for your date?”

“I don’t know,” Nick admitted. He was finding it hard to fill his days now that he didn’t have work. He hadn’t realized just how much of his time was occupied by clients and spreadsheets. “Probably read or watch TV.”

“I’m going antiquing with Hilda and Zelda if you want to come…”

Nick snorted.

“Wild Friday you have planned there, Grandma.”

“The reaction I expected,” Amalia said. “I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy you.”

“Here’s to hoping.” Nick ate his last bite of cereal, picked up the bowl, and tipped it up to drink down the milk, a habit he had learned from his father as a kid. “I’m going to go upstairs, change into something not pajamas for the day.”

Upstairs, he rummaged through his clothing which was spread between the beat-up old dresser his grandmother had put in the room, the closet, and his suitcase. He found the shirt he was looking for and turned to search for the pants he wanted. His eyes fell on his laptop. An idea started to form.

He knew how he could pass the time.

* * *

“I love this bedroom,” Roz said as she sat in the middle of Sabrina’s bed. “I secretly thought it would be impossible to top the bedroom you grew up in, but this one? This one does it.”

“It’s pretty great, isn’t it?” Sabrina asked from where she stood inside her closet.

“It’s so cozy,” Roz continued. “Serene.” The bedroom had high ceilings, lots of natural light, and Sabrina had decorated in neutrals with well-placed bits of deep rust and burnt orange. It was the kind of place one wanted to curl up with a good book on a snowy afternoon, although Roz thought just about any place in Sabrina’s new house was perfect for that. “You going to come out of there and tell me why you called me over for a fashion emergency a half hour ago?”

Sabrina emerged, holding a long cardigan.

“I have a date tonight,” she revealed. Roz’s eyes grew big.

“You do?” she exclaimed. “With who?” She gasped. “Is it that Nick guy? It’s totally that Nick guy, isn’t it?”

“It’s Nick,” Sabrina confirmed. “He asked me to dinner and DM’d me a little earlier to tell me to dress warm.”

“So much to unpack here.” Roz patted the bed. Sabrina joined her. It had been far too long since she had gotten to sit down with her best friend in person for a bit of girl talk. “Okay, first of all, Nick? Wow. He’s hot.”

“He’s so handsome,” Sabrina agreed. “It was the first thought I had when he walked into Hilda’s cafe with his grandmother. But then he opened his mouth, and the appeal wore off.”

“It seems like the appeal came back?” Roz prompted.

“They came for Thanksgiving and he wasn’t terrible,” Sabrina admitted. “Then Amalia volunteered him to help me with my Christmas decorating when I couldn’t find Ambrose and I don’t know, I saw another side of him.”

“What was so unappealing about him at first?”

“He was full of humble brags about his job. He was all ‘I’m a business analyst at a top firm in Boston, got a waitlist of clients.’” Roz made a face.

“No thanks,” she said.

“Hilda, Ambrose, and I sat down at a table with him and Amalia to catch up, his phone rang, and he was outside for over a half hour pacing the sidewalk and looking important on a business call,” Sabrina shared. “But I don’t know. He was different at Thanksgiving and the more time I’ve spent with him, the more I think there’s a lot more to him than just work.”

“How did this date come about?” Roz continued her questions.

“He drove me home last night – Theo totally ditched me to go off with Robin, by the way.”

“Such a Theo move,” Roz quipped, making Sabrina chuckle.

“We had a good time at the tree lighting and it was still pretty early so I invited him in to watch _Poltergeist_.”

“The perfect holiday movie,” Roz mused. She had never quite understood Sabrina’s love of horror movies.

“We ended up starting the second one and we fell asleep on the couch,” Sabrina continued. “Amalia called him at midnight in a panic that he wasn’t home and he asked me to dinner tonight on his way out.”

“Just how cozy were you on the couch?” Roz inquired. Sabrina shrugged.

“We had gotten closer somehow before we fell asleep. When I woke up, my head was on his chest and he had his arm around me.”

“Cozy indeed.” Roz’s eyes sparkled. “Okay, so date tonight. Where is dinner?”

“I have no idea,” Sabrina shook her head. “I just got told to ‘wear something warm.’”

“Which, by the way, he slid into your DMs?” Roz questioned.

“He didn’t have my number,” Sabrina explained. “He asked for it – in my DMs.”

“Go Nick,” Roz whistled. “So absolutely no clue as to where you’re going?”

“None. Which is why you’re here. To help me pick out something to wear.”

“Well, ‘dress warm’ is kind of a given,” Roz said, thinking out loud. “It’s freaking cold outside. By nightfall it will be even colder. It’s not like you would just casually put on a cocktail dress.”

“I feel like jeans and a sweater is too casual,” Sabrina continued. “Warm, yes, but I want to look nice.”

“How about a dress and tights?” Roz proposed. “Thick, fleece-lined tights.”

“Way ahead of you on the tights,” Sabrina nodded towards a chair that had a pair of tights draped over them. “I was thinking a dress or a skirt and top too.” She stood and went to her closet. “Let’s play dress up.”

A half hour later, Sabrina had an outfit picked out and she and Roz were seated at her kitchen island with cheese and crackers and hard cider.

“So, I wanted to ask…,” Roz ventured. “Are you okay? With Harvey and I’s news, I mean?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Sabrina wondered. “You two are perfect for each other.”

“You were a little quiet at Dorian’s last night,” Roz pointed out. “At least until Nick came into the picture. You practically fled to his side when you spotted him.”

“I did not flee…”

“Sabrina.” She gave that look that told Sabrina she was caught.

“I really am happy for the pair of you,” she said. “Truly, Roz. I am. But I had a little bit of a moment about my own life. I’ve been in transition these last couple of months and I finally feel settled, but seeing you and Harvey together… Robin and Theo too… I want that, you know? I want my person.”

“Oh, Sabrina.” Roz reached out and covered Sabrina’s hand with hers. “You will find your person. He’s out there, just waiting for you.”

“I know,” Sabrina nodded. She really did believe that. “I guess I just feel a little… not lost, exactly. I’m still writing freelance pieces, I’ve got my book deal, my website. I just want – more. More that doesn’t involve me on a plane or a train every week or two.”

“You’re ready to settle down,” Roz deciphered. “It’s okay to want that, Sabrina.”

“I want to settle down,” she said, trying out how the words sounded. “I’ve had the best time since college, traveling the world, telling stories, but it would be nice to have someone to come home to.” Salem meowed from his perch nearby. “Besides Salem,” she added with a chuckle.

“Who knows?” Roz asked. “Maybe Nick is ‘the guy.’”

“I don’t think so,” Sabrina shook her head. “He lives in Boston, for one, but he’s also a little too wrapped up in his job, too driven. I don’t think he’s looking for a serious relationship. Besides, look at him. Don’t tell me he’s not the kind of guy that’s had a cold bed more nights than not.”

“I’ll give you that last part,” Roz relented. “Boston isn’t that far away though. An hour-and-a-half. It’s not the worst thing that he’s wrapped up in his job. It shows he’s dedicated, can hold down a career. I bet he could find balance between work and his personal life if the right girl came along. And maybe he’s slept around a bit, but hey, that just means he’s well-practiced and can likely show you a thing or two.”

“Roz!” Sabrina looked scandalized.

“Besides,” Roz continued, “you have had your fair share of one-night stands with exotic men, have you not?” Sabrina blushed. She made no secret of the fact that she liked sex. She didn’t sleep with just anyone, but she hadn’t exactly been a nun on her travels either. “Give him a chance. You never know what could happen.”

“I’m giving him a chance,” Sabrina reminded Roz. “Besides, if it all goes south? At least I’ll get a dinner out of it.”

“That’s the spirit!” Roz held up her glass. Sabrina laughed and clinked hers against Roz’s.

It was good to be home again.

* * *

Nick blew out nervous breath and lifted his fist to knock on Sabrina’s door. She swung it open mere moments later.

“Hi,” she greeted.

“Hey, Spellman,” he replied with a half grin. He took in her skirt and sweater ensemble. She had put on just a bit more makeup than usual, and her hair had a little more curl. “You’re beautiful.”

He hoped the cold was enough to hide the blush of his cheeks at how he had just blurted out the words. She had a bit of a blush herself as she smiled in response.

“Thank you.” She opened the door wider. “Come in. I just need to get my coat.” Nick followed her in. The house smelled like her Christmas tree. She stopped in the entry and held her arms out to either side. “Tell me, Scratch,” she did a little twirl, “am I dressed appropriately?”

“Perfectly,” he assured her. “We’re going to be outside for a while though, so make sure you bundle up. Gloves, scarf, the whole thing.”

“What exactly are we doing?” Sabrina asked.

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“So it’s going to be like that?” she challenged.

“It is,” Nick confirmed with a grin. “Don’t worry, Spellman. I have a feeling you’re going to love this.”

Sabrina decided to humor him. She selected her warmest coat, found a pair of gloves, and wrapped a scarf around her neck. She tried to get a hint about where they were going from his navigation system, but the final destination address was hidden from the dash view as it flashed directions at Nick. All she knew for sure was that they were heading towards Riverdale.

When Nick finally turned off the main road, she gasped.

“Are we going to the botanical gardens?” she asked.

“We are,” Nick confirmed with a smile.

“Seriously?” she exclaimed. Her excitement was palpable. “They started the Christmas display a few years ago and I’ve never been able to see it. I was either abroad or not in Greendale long enough to squeeze in a visit.”

“I thought you might like this,” he told her. He couldn’t help the big smile on his lips. He had been right about this. “There is a cafe on site. I thought we could eat there after we walk around?”

“That’s perfect,” Sabrina agreed. She leaned forward in her seat, eager to take in every moment of the lights coming into view as the approached the parking lot.

Nick parked and played the part of the gentleman by opening her door and putting his hand on her low back. He had already purchased tickets, so he smoothly showed the woman his phone. They stepped through the gate and into a Christmas wonderland.

“Oh!” Sabrina gasped.

The path was lined with trees wrapped tightly in multi-colored lights. They looked as though they had been dipped in glitter. Up ahead, they could see a sea of lights, waiting for them to explore.

“So this was a good idea?” Nick asked.

“The best idea!” Sabrina linked her arm through his and Nick was pretty sure he had won the lottery. “Thank you, Nick. I was only expecting dinner.”

“I don’t do anything small,” he told her. “Judging by the day I spent helping you decorate for Christmas and our gingerbread house, neither do you.”

“It’s a bit of a curse,” Sabrina admitted. “I am who I am.”

“I like who you are.”

They exchanged a smile, and the next thing Nick knew, he was holding her hand. He didn’t let it go as they wandered through the gardens, taking selfies and talking and laughing together. It was frigid, but neither of them felt the cold. By the time they sat down in the cafe, they were both pink cheeked and glowing. Nick surveyed the menu and realized it was a cafe in every sense of the word. They served paninis and sandwiches and soups and salads, but not much else. He could get gluten-free bread, but he thought, well, he didn’t want to.

Sabrina couldn’t hold back her grin after they ordered.

“What?” he asked.

“I knew,” she confessed.

“Knew what?” he wondered.

“ _Je sais que vous pouvez manger du gluten et des produits laitiers,_ ” she said. “I know you can eat gluten and dairy.”

“Amalia?” Nick guessed.

“I’m not giving away my sources.” Nick laughed. “I’ll keep your dirty secret though. It’s a real honor that you have broken your gluten and dairy free rules in my presence.”

“We did establish that you’re a rule breaker,” Nick reminded her. “You’re rubbing off on me.”

“Says the guy who actually went to jail.”

“It was technically a holding cell and it’s not on my permanent record,” he shrugged. “You though… Not putting your seat all the way up when the plane lands? That’s probably a felony.”

“Only if you get caught,” she quipped, making him laugh.

“You’re something else, Spellman.”

She really was. The more time he spent around her, the more he liked her. And the more he desperately wanted to kiss her. He had to know if those lips tasted as good as they looked.

Their food came and again Nick found himself admitting the sandwich tasted better with gluten-filled bread. He had even gotten cheese, which Sabrina teased him about. She asked about his job as they ate and he found he didn’t want to talk about it, not like he normally would. It was usually his go-to subject in conversation, something he could brag about, impress whoever was sitting across from him. But that wasn’t Sabrina. She wanted to know about what he liked about his work, what he didn’t like. She didn’t care about the substantial bonus he got the previous week, the huge client he landed, his waiting list of people who wanted to work for him. She wanted to know about the why of what he did and he found he didn’t really have the answers.

“I saw a s’mores pit,” he said once their plates had been cleared and the bill paid. “What do you say?”

“I say it would be a shame to deny you a s’more on a day in which you are forgoing your usual ban on all things gluten and dairy.”

Nick laughed as he stood.

“Way to look out for me, Spellman.” He pulled her chair back like the gentleman he was trying to be. When she was on her feet, he held her coat for her and then put his on while she finished bundling up. As her hand slipped back into his, he realized he hated gloves. Even just holding a hand would give him more skin-on-skin contact than what he was enjoying now. “Let’s go make some s’mores.”

It was one of his better ideas. He had forgotten how good s’mores were, so much so he had two, as did Sabrina. He suggested one more walk around the nearest garden before they called it a night and she was happy to agree.

“I have had a lot of fun tonight, Nick,” Sabrina said as they walked. “Thank you for bringing me here, Nick.”

It had been perfect. She couldn’t recall a single date that had been more perfectly her. She had loved every moment, but especially Nick’s company. He had treated her well, listened to her. He had put obvious thought into their date and even when she asked him about his job, he didn’t go on and on about it but merely hit the highlights and then asked her about something he had read on her website. It had surprised her that he had read it, but she answered him all the same and the next thing she knew, he was telling her about his study abroad experience in Barcelona.

“You are easily the best company I’ve had in a long time,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of fun too, Sabrina.” He stopped and turned to face her. “Thank you for letting me spend time with you.” Sabrina swooned as he grinned. “And for not giving me too hard of a time about the whole gluten and dairy thing.”

Sabrina threw her head back in laughter. Nick used the hand he was holding to tug her closer. He dropped it, just so he could wrap his arm around her waist and pull her into him. She stopped laughing as the distance between them closed. She rested her hands on his chest and looked up at him expectantly.

For just a moment, she thought he was going to chicken out. He looked at her with such wonder that she thought he might be a bit awestruck. She had no way of knowing he was, simply because Nick wasn’t good with emotions. But then he lifted his gloved hand, placed it on her cheek, and leaned in. She closed the distance and when their lips met, she decided she only want to kiss him from now on. She didn’t need to eat, didn’t even need to breathe. She just needed to kiss Nicholas Scratch.

Nick forgot they were in the middle of a garden surrounded by countless white Christmas trees. That it was frigid. That he was only in Greendale for another few weeks and his life was in Boston. All he could focus on was the feel of Sabrina’s lips moving against his and the breathy chocolate-tasting sigh that emitted from her when she parted her lips for his tongue.

A warning that the gardens were closing in ten minutes crackled from the PA system, causing them to pull apart. They were both breathless as they took in one another.

“I really like kissing you,” Nick stated without much thought.

“I’m a fan too,” Sabrina confirmed. “So much so that I’m going to do it again.”

She surprised him by lifting herself to her tiptoes and capturing his lips with her own.

“As much as I’d like to stay here kissing you, I think we should make our way out of here before we get in trouble for overstaying our welcome,” he said when they parted again.

Sabrina linked her arm through his, this time locking their hands together too, and the pair made their way to the exit. Nick kissed her again at the car before he opened the passenger door for her. She was waiting for him with another sweet kiss when he slid behind the driver’s seat. He held her hand on the drive home.

It was late by the time he walked her to her door.

“You had a good time?” he questioned. He suddenly felt insecure as he prepared to say goodnight.

“I did,” she assured him as she unlocked her door. “The best time, honestly.” She dropped her keys back in her purse once the door was unlocked and turned back to him. “The only way it could have been better is if those lights were covered in snow.”

“You and snow,” Nick said with a smile. “I’m sensing there’s a bit of a love story there.”

“There really is,” she assured him. “Want to come in? I’m sure I can scrounge up a nightcap of some sort.”

“I’d love to,” Nick said. “But I’m not going to. I’m going to be a gentleman and kiss you goodnight here at the door in hopes that I can see you again soon.”

For the umpteenth time that night, Sabrina swooned.

“I’ll agree to that.” She fisted his coat lapels as he pulled her into him. “Thank you again for tonight, Nick.”

“Thank you,” he countered. He leaned in to kiss her again. “You know, Amalia has a bit of a ruse planned for Mr. Green tomorrow…”

“A ruse?” Sabrina questioned.

“She’s having him over for dinner. Except Hilda is making the dinner for her. I’m afraid the poor man is going to think my grandmother can cook.” Sabrina laughed heartily. Her body was still pressed against his and she was content to stay there. “She said I could join them or make myself scarce…”

“Make yourself scarce,” Sabrina said before he could finish. “Come over. We can try that whole movie watching thing out again.”

“You read my mind.”

He pressed his lips to hers again and only the cold temperatures and the layers of clothing between them kept him from trying to see just how far he could take things. He made sure she was safely inside before he loaded himself back into his Porsche SUV.

He wasn’t sure what all the feelings swirling around inside of him were.

But he thought, maybe, he might like them.

* * *

“I can’t believe you washed all of those dishes.”

“You cooked dinner,” Nick reminded her. “It’s only fair that I wash the dishes.” He had been pleasantly surprised to find she had inherited her aunt’s cooking abilities, but with an international twist. The Chicken Pad Thai she had on the stove when he arrived had beaten any from a restaurant. “Besides, all I really did was rinse and put them in the dishwasher.”

“True,” Sabrina agreed. “But your doing it meant I didn’t have to.” She slid from the stool she had perched on while he worked. “I made ice cream sandwiches for dessert. I split the bill though – gluten-free cookies, full dairy ice cream.”

“I would have eaten gluten with you,” he said. “In fact, because of you, I’m starting to realize I really have been missing out – by choice, not necessity.”

“Well, don’t get too excited,” she said. “The only reason the cookies are gluten-free is because they’re my favorite four ingredient peanut butter cookies. Trust me, Scratch. I would have made gluten-filled cookies if it was what I wanted.” Nick chuckled.

“You really are a wonder, Spellman.”

They sat at the kitchen island and ate their ice cream sandwiches. Finally, they reached the part of the night Nick had been looking forward to – retreating to her couch to watch a movie.

“Amalia knows where you are this time?” she teased as she led the way to the living room.

“She does,” Nick confirmed. His grandmother had teased him all the way out the door and said she wouldn’t worry if he didn’t come home. The problem with that was she would surely tell Hilda he didn’t come home and that would be that. “She’s distracted in her own right.” He paused in the entry. “I need to get something out of my car. I’ll be right back.”

Sabrina raised an eyebrow but didn’t question him. She went to the living room and busied herself with cueing up the movie. She had hopes that Nick wouldn’t be interested in watching the movie, however. She wanted to make out like teenagers and see if it led anywhere. She had settled on the couch when he walked in with his laptop.

“Planning on doing some work, Scratch?” she asked.

“I have something to show you,” he replied. He seemed nervous now. Sabrina’s curiosity piqued. “I’ve been working on something with all of my free time.” He booted up his laptop and asked her for her wifi password. Once he was logged on, he typed in a web address, took a deep breath, and turned his screen towards her. It took Sabrina a few moments to realize what she was seeing.

“That’s my website!”

There, on Nick’s computer screen, was her website but – better. So much better. Her name was a logo, the colors vibrant, her photos prominent. There was a navigation menu, categories, even a place to opt into the newsletter she didn’t have.

“It’s technically a demo,” he said, nervous now. “I don’t have a lot to do right now with the office closed and I’ve always had an interest in web design, so I just started to mess around yesterday… It’s fine if you hate it. You didn’t ask me to do any of this, so I recognize that I could have overstepped. I just thought I’d put something together and see what you thought. You’re so talented as a writer and a photographer and your site should showcase that…”

His rambling was hushed by Sabrina’s lips on his. He nearly dropped his laptop in surprise.

“I love it,” she said when she pulled away. “I can’t believe you did this.” She indicated his laptop. “Can I?”

“Go ahead.” He passed it to her and watched as she clicked around, exploring. “It’s not totally done. There are things I would need your input on and I just kind of guessed about the color scheme based on some of your photos, but it’s a start.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said honestly as she took it in. “I really can’t believe you did all of this in a day’s time. You’re really talented, Nick.”

“Web design is just something I do for fun,” he shrugged. “I’m a little rusty. It’s been a while since I had time to sit down with it. Even if you decide you don’t want to do anything with it, it was fun to work on.”

“I want to do something with this,” she said with certainty. “I’ll pay you…”

“No,” Nick shook his head. “I did this because I wanted to. You can tell me what you like, what you don’t like, and I’ll make changes and get it implemented. Not tonight though. Tonight, we’re watching a movie. I just wanted to show you, see what you thought.”

Sabrina leaned in and kissed him.

“Thank you, Nick,” she said when she pulled away. “This was incredibly thoughtful of you.”

“Was it?” he asked. “Or was it just a means to make sure I get to spend more time with you?”

“I assure you, you wouldn’t have to build me a new website for that to happen.”

They shared another kiss before Sabrina closed the laptop and gave it back to Nick. He sat it aside and got comfortable on the couch. He held his arm out to Sabrina once she hit play and she curled into his side.

Thirty minutes into the movie, she lifted her head from his shoulder and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his throat. He smiled down at her before capturing her lips with his.

They forgot all about the movie.

She slipped her hands under the hem of his shirt and her fingertips alone were enough to make Nick shutter. He buried a hand in her hair and kissed her deeply. His other hand made its way under her shirt and slid upward. He squeezed when he found her breast. Her sharp intake of breath made him pause, but her hungry kiss made him continue. She tugged at his shirt, eager to have it off. He kissed her once more before leaning back to pull the piece of fabric away. He tossed it aside just as she lifted her own hem.

“Let me,” he requested.

He removed her shirt and pulled her into his lap. She straddled him and rejoined their lips while their hands explored one another.

“Nick,” she breathed as his lips worked along her chest, “please, please say you have a condom.”

“In my wallet,” he breathed from the hollow between her breasts. He thought he might live there now. “Call me hopeful, but I made sure before I left the house.”

He had made sure he had more than one.

Just in case.

Her laugh was warm and the way her hips ground into his was sinful.

“I want you,” Sabrina told him. She had never had a problem asking for what she wanted in the bedroom. She had turned more than a few men off that way, the ones that thought the man should always be in charge or that missionary was the only position. She enjoyed sex, liked to both call the shots and be at another’s mercy. She sensed in Nick a kindred spirit, someone that was fine with either role, so long as it resulted in mutual pleasure. She moaned into his mouth at the way his tongue worked and thought of a dozen things she wanted right then and there.

“Sabrina,” he breathed. “Before we… You should know…”

Something in his tone made her pause. She stayed in his lap but pulled back enough to see him. His eyes were full of caution.

“What is it?” she asked. She ran a hand through his hair simply because she needed to touch him.

“I’ve been with women,” he told her. “But I’ve also been with men. I’m bi-sexual.”

“And?” Sabrina asked.

“And I thought you should know.”

It wasn’t information he just ponied up every time he was about to get laid. In fact, he rarely brought it up. He had been with women who assumed he was straight, men who assumed he was gay. He didn’t bother to set them straight, especially when he didn’t see a future with them more often than not. He subscribed to the notion that he was free to be with whomever he was attracted to and that was that. He had told his parents, his grandmother. It was as normal to him, to them, as fireworks on the Fourth of July. But for all of society’s progress, it still made some skittish or judgmental that he didn’t fit neatly into a box. He wanted Sabrina to know though, just in case it was a heartbreaking deal breaker.

“Is that supposed to change my mind about you?” she wondered.

“I hope it doesn’t,” he said. “You’re straight and…” he stopped himself. “I’m assuming. I shouldn’t assume. I hate it when people do that to me.”

Sabrina smiled at his genuine rebuff of his actions.

“I’m straight,” she confirmed as her hand ran down his chest. “I tried to experiment once, in college, but I didn’t get very far.” She could practically feel him grow through his jeans at the mere idea of her with another woman. “I don’t give a damn about your preferences, Nick. Whether you’re straight or bi doesn’t matter to me. I only care that you treat me with respect, that we’re safe, and that you’re clean.”

Nick didn’t reply right away. Instead, he lifted his hips, her still on his lap, and removed his wallet from his back pocket. He opened it with one hand – his other held tightly to her hip – and removed a condom. He held it up.

“We’re safe,” he informed her. He dropped it to the couch where he could reach for it later. “I’m clean.” He sat forward so he and Sabrina were chest to chest. Her arms looped around his neck as she took the way his eyes burned. “And I plan to respect every last inch of you.”

She squirmed in his lap at the thought of what he could do to her. She threw any last ounce of caution she had to the wind.

“You don’t have to be gentle,” she told him. “I like it long and slow too. But tonight? Right now? I don’t want you to be gentle.” She ground against him. “All this talk about sexuality…” She felt like she was burning from the inside out.

Nick half expected some host of a TV show to burst in and tell him he was being punked. There was no way this was real life, that a woman like Sabrina Spellman sat shirtless in his lap, that that same woman informed him she was just fine with his sexuality, thank you very much, and to please lose the kid gloves when they got down to business.

“I’ll say it again. You’re a wonder, Sabrina Spellman.”

He unhooked her bra and flicked the straps down her shoulders. The fabric fell away, and he wasted no time in grabbing her nipple between his teeth as he clasped the other one between his fingers.

“My bedroom,” she breathed. She grabbed for the condom. “Right now.”

She got off of Nick and led him to her bedroom. She tossed the condom to her nightstand and made quick work of ridding herself of the jeans she had chosen for the night. She went to pull down her panties, but Nick’s hands stopped her. He was behind her, but she could feel his hot body, the thin fabric of his boxer briefs the only thing covering him. He had divested himself of his own shoes, socks, and jeans as they walked through the bedroom door.

“I want to take those off of you.” His lips landed on the crook of her neck, but his hands stayed at her waist. He bit down, hard enough to draw a gasp from her, not so hard it would leave a mark by morning. He turned her and guided her to the bed. “Sit down.” Sabrina did so, eyes held by his. He leaned down to kiss her and used the leverage to lower her to the bed.

His lips started to move down her body. She noted the way his aggression picked up once he was below the neckline where any marks he left would be covered by her clothing. The idea of it made her arch into him. She tried to push him lower, but he maintained his own pace.

Finally – finally – they landed where she wanted them. Except there was a thin piece of fabric between them. He hooked his fingers through the elastic of her panties and tugged them down. And then his mouth was there and within thirty seconds she was certain she was ruined for other men as he worked her into a frenzy. She rode the wave and tumbled over it with a shout, but he didn’t let up. He added his fingers and soon she was right back at the crest.

“Someone’s smug,” she managed through her heavy pants as she recovered and Nick stalked up her body. He radiated confidence and pride at what he had just done to her.

“You’re the one that likened me to a God just now,” he reminded her. He silenced her retort with a firm kiss. She found her second wind then and pushed Nick down to the bed. His boxer briefs came off and she had him in her hand in one swift movement. He groaned at the sensation. It had been a few weeks since he had any physical contact and he had missed it. “Condom,” he managed, flailing blindly for it as Sabrina’s hand moved.

She fetched it from the nightstand, tore the packet open, and rolled it on. She positioned herself and sunk down on him and just the initial feel of her made Nick pulse. He grabbed her hips to stop her from moving for a moment, closed his eyes, and breathed deep. He wanted to prolong this as much as he could.

“Okay,” he said after a few moments. He opened his eyes to a smirking Sabrina. “I’m ready.”

In hindsight, she wasn’t sure she would call what happened between them the rougher sex she had requested. It certainly wasn’t a long, drawn out lovemaking session, but it was all passion, all want and need. He didn’t wrestle with her for control, let her maintain her position on top, but he did hold her close, whisper her name like a prayer, kiss her like she was his only choice to breathe. She found herself trying to get closer, even if there was no way to get any closer than him inside of her, his arms wrapped tight around her.

She pushed off his chest to sit up as she neared her end and Nick swore he had never seen anything more beautiful than Sabrina Spellman coming undone. There was something almost celestial about her, something that felt fated, divined.

Only when her petite body was spent did he fully take over. He sat up and wrapped one around her waist, the other around her shoulders. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and thrusted into her until he, too, had given everything he had. He collapsed back onto the bed, bringing her with him.

For a while, they laid like that, her on top of him, him still lazily in her, in a peaceful silence. He listened to her breath slow back to normal, felt her heart rate calm against his as his hand traced lazy patterns up and down her bare back. Finally, she lifted her head and pressed a kiss to his hard chest before she shifted off of him. He disposed of the condom, but didn’t let her get far, pulling her into his side.

“We suck at watching movies,” he muttered into her hair. She laughed and snuggled closer.

“I like how this one ended.”

“You’re something special, Spellman,” he replied. He glanced at the digital alarm clock on her bedside. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet. “We could still go downstairs, finish that movie…”

“Let’s stay here,” she proposed. “I don’t want to put on clothes yet.”

“Far be it from me to suggest otherwise.” He did feel a slight chill in the air though and thought she might be cold now that the physical activity had concluded. He maneuvered to pull the comforter out from under them and over them and brought her back into his arms. It was alarming, how well she seemed to fit in them, how well she seemed to fit _everywhere_. “You’re okay?” he asked as his hand once again resumed its path up and down her back.

“I’m okay,” she smiled. “That was really incredible, Nick.”

“You have no idea how incredible you are,” he replied. “A woman that tells me exactly what she wants? I kept waiting for that Ashton Kutcher guy to pop out of a closet or something and tell me I was being punked, that it wasn’t real.”

“Does he still do that?” Sabrina wondered.

“I have no idea,” Nick shook his head. “I’m just glad all of this was real.” Sabrina smiled at him, but he saw something tentative around the edges.

“Some men are turned off by my confidence,” she admitted. “That I ask for what I want. My aunt Zelda taught me to be strong though, and I won’t apologize for it.”

“Never apologize for it,” Nick told her sternly. “A man that doesn’t look at you in wonder for being exactly who you are isn’t worth your time.” He pulled her in still closer, not even aware he was doing it. “I’ll admit it though – I wouldn’t mind a chance to show you what I can do in one of those ‘long and slow’ situations you mentioned earlier.”

Sabrina laughed heartily which made him chuckle.

“You might get a chance,” she told him. She was already feeling the want of another round beginning to bubble. She hadn’t been with anyone since her return to Greendale, and she certainly hadn’t been with someone who had set her on fire like Nick since… Ever.

For a few minutes, they lay in peaceful silence. Nick marveled at how his evening had turned out while Sabrina thought about the man holding her as tightly now as he had moments after sex. He was layered, complex. Each time she was with him, she felt like she saw a little more of who he actually was. And she fell for him a little more each time too. She was on a slippery slope and was making no attempts to stop her slide.

“Nick?” she lifted her head from his chest. “Thank you for telling me about your sexuality. It doesn’t matter to me in the least, but I know it’s probably not something you share with just anyone, nor is it something always well received.”

“I wanted you to know,” he said. “It felt important in the moment.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I meant what I said earlier. You’re pretty special, Spellman.”

“You certainly made me feel that way,” she smiled.

“How about I make you feel that way again?” he proposed, already moving so he could hover over her. “Slower this time.”

“Slower,” Sabrina agreed as she received his kiss that held all kinds of promises. “Please, Nick. Take your time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW. First dates. First times together... Lots going on. About 3 more chapters left and I'm going to push to get them all out by New Year's (just need editing!) in an effort to wrap this one up while we're still in holiday mode! 
> 
> And now I'm off to read fics and catch up on comments. 12/10 would NOT recommend moving across the country in a pandemic during the holidays... 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading - let me know what you thought of this one!


	7. Chicken Noodle Cure-All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update? Yes. I'm determined to get this whole fic out by New Year's! 
> 
> Warning: This one gets heavy and discusses the loss of parents.

Nick knew it was pointless to attempt to sneak into his grandmother’s house, but that didn’t stop him from trying. He made it as far as the bottom step.

“Have a good night?”

Amalia stood in the entry with a cup of coffee in hand. She was positively beaming.

“Hey, Grandma,” he greeted with a sheepish grin. He stepped off the stair and decided to face his fate. “I suppose you’re on your way to crank up the town gossip mill?”

“No need,” she shook her head. “Hilda passes Sabrina’s on her way to the cafe and your vehicle isn’t the most inconspicuous.” Nick groaned. It was bad enough his grandmother knew he had spent the night at Sabrina’s. Now her aunt – probably both of her aunts by now – knew, too. Her cousin would certainly know within the hour. “I’ll assume everything was above bar, but honestly, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if I got a great-grandchild out of it.”

“Now would be a great time for a sinkhole to open up,” Nick stated. “Preferably right where I’m standing.”

Amalia chuckled and took a sip of her coffee.

“You are who you are, Nicholas,” she said. “I had a much tamer night, thank you for asking. But I will be joining Chavis for dinner tonight, so you will have to fend for yourself. Feel free to invite Sabrina over.”

“We’re just having fun,” Nick told her. “No need for you to rush off and pick out china patterns or whatever.”

“There’s coffee if you want it,” Amalia said by way of answering him. “I’m going to troop down to Hilda’s, get another cup of coffee, tell her about my own night, maybe speculate about this fun our niece and grandson are having.”

Nick rolled his eyes.

“I’m going to take a shower,” he stated. “And you can go ahead and share with Hilda that I intend to meet Sabrina later today.”

He left it at that and all but stomped up the stairs to emphasize his point as Amalia laughed in his wake. He found a clean change of clothing and made for the shower, once again wishing the bathroom was bigger, that it didn’t take so long for the old pipes to heat up. Yet when they were heated, the water pressure was superb and the hot water plentiful. He stepped under the spray and breathed a sigh of relief. He was sore in the best way and the heat felt good as it relaxed his muscles.

The haze that he had been in since leaving Sabrina’s warm bed that morning lifted as well. Being with her had felt – good. Better than good. She clicked into his arms the way a final puzzle piece did, with a sure and resounded ‘snap’ of completion. Last night, he had made his promise of slow last exceedingly long, not only because seeing her writhe and beg under him was one hell of a turn on, but because he didn’t want it to end either. She had asked him to stay and he hadn’t hesitated to agree, having had no intentions of leaving in the first place.

Waking up had been disorienting. He had forgotten he wasn’t in his bed as his grandmother’s and it took him a moment to gather that the all white bedding he was encased in was Sabrina’s and that she was sleeping soundly next to him, one arm thrown over his chest, her head resting on his bicep. He had woken her by playing with her hair and peppering her face with kisses before he was thanking his lucky stars for being so cocky as to slip not one but three condoms in his wallet before he left his grandmother’s the night before as she hoisted her leg over his hip.

It had felt more intimate that time. The first time had been driven by pure lust, by a primal instinct they shared. The second time, he had just wanted more. More of her, more of sex, more of her voice crying out his name. But that morning, as the sunlight peeked into her room and they laid side by side, eyes on one another as their bodies joined again, it had felt like something a lot bigger. Something that held a delicate promise.

He wanted to see her again. He had just left her not a half hour ago after a cup of coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs, one of the only things he felt confident in making when a need to make her breakfast overtook him, but he already – missed? – her. They had made plans to look over his website design that afternoon – at Hilda’s café because neither of them trusted that they could keep their hands to themselves long enough to get anything else done – but it felt like an eternity from now.

It was dangerous territory.

He had to remind himself that this was just temporary. Greendale wasn’t home. His real life was in Boston where he could summon an Uber, get takeout delivered, and look out his window to see boats bobbing in the harbor, not cows in a field. It was where his office was, where he met clients for drinks and went home with a stranger for just one night.

Greendale was temporary.

A moment.

It was where he went while his real life was suspended.

It was like Sabrina’s snow globes. A perfect moment in time.

But a moment nonetheless.

* * *

Sabrina was happy.

Christmas was nine days away.

All of her shopping was done, her presents wrapped. Her website was coming along beautifully with Nick’s expertise and she was writing more than ever. She had turned in the first few chapters of her book and her agent had loved it.

And she was spending nearly every evening with Nick.

In the week since their first date, he had become a constant. He was teaching her how to do things on her website like sign people up for newsletters and then send them while installing her new and beautiful design. He had even made her a logo and just the day before, presented her with a set of Instagram story highlight covers in her newly minted brand colors. She thought he had missed his calling in life and told him so often as she took in how good he was at web design and development. He seemed to enjoy it too, often commenting about how nice it was to have the chance to do it. His business knowledge seeped in from time to time, making him that much savvier at creating a site that met all of her needs and appeased what she now knew was a mammoth of an algorithm that determined what results showed up in people’s searches. She found it incredibly attractive to watch him work.

Which was likely why she seemed to keep finding herself without clothes on.

It wasn’t like sex was all they were doing. Nick had taken her to dinner a couple of times, and to a movie at the theater where he told her they would be sure to watch the movie all the way through. She had convinced him to follow her directions through several backroads once they were back in the car though and they had found out his backseat while pulled into the parking lot of a long abandoned general store was a perfectly suitable place to be together. But she liked being with him physically. He felt like a match for her, not just intellectually, but physically, too. She could talk to him for ages, then sit back and let him do as he pleased to her body or else do as she pleased to his.

The thought made a certain part of her tingle as she stepped into Cassius’ Books to find a new novel. She waved hello to old man Cassius and turned down an aisle.

“Amalia!” She was surprised to find the woman there but smiled warmly. Amalia returned her smile.

“Sabrina, dear.” She pulled her into a hug that went on just a beat too long for it to be purely in greeting. “What a nice surprise, running into you here.”

“And not at Hilda’s or Cee’s?” Sabrina teased. She seemed to always see Amalia at one of those two places.

“I thought I should support another local business, spread the love a bit,” Amalia replied. “Besides, I agreed to drive out to Chavis’ farm and help out later today. Seems he’s a bit busy with all the last-minute Christmas tree cutters. I have high hopes of merely sitting in the warm shed reading a book while waiting for people to pay for their trees.”

Sabrina laughed. She knew from Nick that Amalia was spending a lot of time with Mr. Green. She couldn’t figure out how Nick felt about it, but she for one thought it was a good thing.

“Good luck,” she told him. “My friends and I helped out from time to time when we were in high school. He will find you something to do if you’re idle.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Amalia said in a way that told Sabrina she was joking. “Have you spoken with Nicholas today?”

“No, actually.” Sabrina hadn’t realized until just then that she hadn’t had so much as an Instagram like from Nick all day. He was an early riser like her and in the last week, it had become almost a race to see who texted who first. She had been too wrapped up in how he kissed her goodnight the night before to realize they hadn’t made plans to meet up for the first time all week either. “I’m sure I’ll talk to him at some point though.”

She hoped.

Uncertainty was sinking in and she didn’t like it. She always knew who she was and where she stood when she was dating someone. She refused to take a morning of silence as a negative thing. Nick was likely just busy. She didn’t need to be insecure about his lack of communication that morning.

“I’m sure,” Amalia agreed. “He does seem rather fond of your company.”

They talked for a few more minutes before Amalia hurried off to pay for her book and make the drive to the tree farm. Sabrina took her time browsing and eventually left with two new novels to her name. She waited until she was home to take out her phone and check her messages.

Roz had texted to confirm the date and time for the Christmas get together Sabrina was planning at her house for her friends.

Theo had sent her a meme about horror movies that made her chuckle.

Ambrose had set off a firestorm with her aunts by suggesting they allow him to deep fry a turkey for Christmas dinner. Hilda was offended that he would suggest such a travesty when her roasted turkey was a thing of legend while Zelda questioned his mental state that he would dare think deep frying anything outside was a fun activity. Sabrina took a moment to chime in that they should let Ambrose give it a shot just to see if he could actually do it without burning something down. That set off another round of texts that she decided to ignore.

But there were no texts from Nick.

She debated for a moment before deciding on a plan of action. She took her new books out of the bag and laid them on her coffee table. She snapped a picture and sent it to Nick. _Picked these up today. Read either of them?_

She watched her phone for a few moments, waiting for a reply, before going to Instagram. She couldn’t help but check his profile, saw there was no new activity, not that that was unusual. She was the one on Instagram all the time, not him.

When a half hour passed with no reply, she chastised herself for waiting by her phone, put it down, and spent time doing a few chores around her house. When she checked her phone again an hour later and saw there was nothing from him, she texted Theo and made plans for dinner.

“I will not be this girl,” she told Salem as she tossed her phone aside. “I will not be the girl waiting by the phone. Maybe he’s busy. Maybe he’s ghosting me. Doesn’t matter. I’m not going to wait around for his text.”

She snatched up one of her new novels while Salem meowed as though agreeing with her, went into her bedroom, and settled into her reading nook to suspend reality for as long as she could.

* * *

“You’re home!”

Nick looked up from the book he had open in his lap. He had been on the same page for at least a half hour and couldn’t tell anyone what it said if his life depended on it.

“Am I not supposed to be?” he countered.

Amalia shook her head as she entered the living room.

“You’ve been with Sabrina nearly every evening this week,” she said as she sat down on the sofa with him. “I suppose I just assumed you would be with her.”

“It’s not like I spend every waking minute with her,” Nick said. “No Mr. Green?”

“I helped him out at the farm and we had a lovely early dinner,” she said as she considered her grandson. He was dressed down in sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt, the same outfit he had been in when she left that morning. That was unusual. Even if he wasn’t leaving the house, he got dressed for the day. It was just a part of who he was. His father had been the same way. “I saw Sabrina earlier today,” she continued. “I was at the bookstore before I went to the farm and she came in searching for a couple of books.”

“She likes to read,” Nick replied. He made an effort to return his attention back to his book.

“Did something happen between the pair of you?” Amalia asked carefully. “I asked if she had heard from you and she said no. She didn’t seem to concerned, but you’ve been spending so much time together…”

“Everything is fine,” Nick said. “Go ahead and spit out whatever you’re trying to ask me, Grandma. I know your game. I learned it from my mom who learned it from you.” None of them were especially good at just asking the hard questions.

“You have been wallowing, haven’t you?” Amalia asked.

“No…”

“Nicholas.”

Nick sighed. He could have avoided this entire conversation if he had just stayed in his bedroom. Of course, Amalia would have just barged in and it would have happened anyway, just in a different setting. It was really a miracle they made it until dinnertime.

“I’m not wallowing.”

“You’re in sweats, haven’t left the house all day, and you have a pretty girl that’s very interested in you that you haven’t given the time of day to today. You’re wallowing.”

“It’s the anniversary of my parents’ deaths, Grandma,” Nick stated. “I’m allowed to wallow.”

“You’re allowed to be sad,” she corrected. “But you are not allowed to sit and stew in your sadness and self-pity. Your mother and father wouldn’t have wanted that.”

“You certainly didn’t stew,” Nick said because he couldn’t help himself. “You went about your day as though it wasn’t three years ago to that you got a frantic call from me telling you your daughter was dead and her husband too.”

“If you think for a moment that your mother wasn’t the very first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes this morning you are sadly mistaken,” she told him with a certain grit. “Your father was like a son to me, but your mother was my only child, my baby girl. Of course I grieved her loss today. I grieve it every day. But that’s the thing, Nicholas. I allow myself to grieve. To think of her. To miss her. And today, the day that marks the anniversary of the single worst moment of my life, I allowed myself to do what she would have wanted me to do – shed a few tears while I had my coffee this morning, pull myself together, and go out and find the joy in this day. For me, that joy was found on a Christmas tree farm with a kind man who has always cared for me.” She paused for a moment as she considered him. “It was found at my best friend’s cafe, where she poured me a to-go cup of coffee and passed me a bag with my favorite pastry in it without a word because she knew.” She watched Nick close his eyes as though in pain. “And it was even found in the narrow aisles of a dusty old bookshop, talking to a sweet girl that seems to make my grandson feel a little lighter when he’s with her.”

She got to her feet. Nick opened his eyes and sat forward.

“Grandma, I didn’t mean…”

“I know,” she cut him off. “But Nicholas? You have never allowed yourself to grieve your parents. You cried when they died, but you put one foot in front of the other, focused on the next thing and the next thing and the next. I know today is hard for you. It’s hard for me too. But sitting here in this house, trying to push down your feelings isn’t going to help you. Avoiding Sabrina because you know she would understand isn’t going to help you.”

She made to leave the room, intent on making herself a cup of tea and settling in for the long hot bath she thought she deserved, a bath in which she planned to think about her sweet girl and the good man she married.

“I’m avoiding Sabrina because she would make it okay,” Nick said just before she exited the room. “She would understand, and she would make it okay for me to feel the way I do.”

“How do you feel?” Amalia chanced.

“Sad,” Nick answered right away. “And angry. I’m so damned angry about it, Grandma. I had them for twenty-seven years of my life, but all I can think about is everything I won’t have them for.” He blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. Amalia was right back at his side. He let her pull him into a hug. “It pisses me off and then it pisses me off that it pisses me off. They didn’t want to die. I shouldn’t be mad at them for dying.”

“It’s okay to be mad,” she told him. “I get angry too.” She released him, but kept holding his hand. “One of my very favorite moments of my life so far was the first time I held you,” she revealed. “You were no more than an hour old, so tiny and yet so solid. You weren’t a small baby.” Nick chuckled despite his heavy heart. He was well-aware of the fact that he had arrived in this world at just shy of ten pounds. “And I was in awe. Not just at the fact that I had a grandson, but at the fact that my little girl gave birth to you. It’s a feeling I can’t explain, Nicholas, to hold the child of your child and just be so overwhelmed with pride and love that she could help create such a perfect little life. From that very moment, I started looking forward to the day that she would hold your baby and feel that same way, that same sense of awe that her baby boy was a father now. It absolutely wrecks me that she won’t get to experience that.”

“I think about that too,” Nick admitted. “More and more as time goes by and I get older. I think about how I don’t have parents to bring a girlfriend home to meet, how they won’t be there for my wedding, my kids. I helped Sabrina cut down a Christmas tree a couple of weeks ago and driving home that night, I thought about how I wanted to call up Dad and tell him all about it, but I couldn’t.” He stared at his hands. “I had all but forgotten about how Mom and Dad would go cut down our tree every year until I went with Sabrina. And then, afterward, I thought about how nice it had been to do it again, how it was a tradition I might like to carry on. I wanted to tell all of that to my dad, and I couldn’t.”

“It’s not fair,” Amalia said. “I know it’s not. But I hate to see you sitting here, holding all of this grief inside of you.” She squeezed his hand. “For what it’s worth, I know I’m not your father, but you can always call me up and tell me all about cutting down a Christmas tree.”

Nick chuckled.

“I know,” he nodded. “I’m sorry about earlier, about what I said. I know you have thought of Mom all day, Dad too. It wasn’t fair.”

“You just wanted to feel something,” Amalia said by way of forgiveness. She kissed his hair, something she hadn’t done in years. “I was going to make some tea and take a hot bath. Chavis had me doing manual labor and I quite think I deserve a bath after that, but I can wait a bit, make you a cup of tea, sit here with you for a while.”

“Go make your tea, take your bath,” Nick said. He took a breath. “I’m going to head over to Sabrina’s. She’s texted me a couple of times today and I’ve ignored her. She probably thinks I’m ghosting her.”

“That’s when you just disappear on a potential mate, right?” Amalia clarified.

“More or less,” Nick nodded with a hint of a smile at her definition. “I don’t want her to think that.”

“Go see her,” Amalia encouraged. “I think it might make you feel better.”

Nick took a moment to give his grandmother a long hug before he went upstairs just long enough to find a pair of shoes and his coat. He didn’t bother changing, suddenly too eager to see Sabrina now that he had admitted he wanted to. The drive to her house was quick, but he was surprised to find the interior lights off when he arrived, her exterior Christmas lights twinkling. Her car was in the drive though, so he parked and went to her door. He knocked and waited.

And waited.

He knocked again.

Either she wasn’t home or she was avoiding him. With a heavy sigh, he took out his phone and found her text messages. He started to compose a response as he walked to his car, typing, deleting, and re-typing his apology.

Headlights turned down her driveway. He held his arm up to shield his eyes from the brightness. A dozen thoughts went through his head, including the certainty that she was on a date with someone else which would be his luck.

“Nick?”

Sabrina opened the passenger door of the vehicle.

“Hey Nick!” came a familiar voice from within the video. It was Theo. Nick’s relief was palpable and he felt dumb for jumping so quickly to the conclusion that Sabrina had been on a date with someone else. It wasn’t like they were exclusive or anything. He waved a hand at Theo, still adjusting to the light, as Sabrina bid her friend goodnight.

“Nick?” she questioned as Theo pulled away. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you,” he admitted. “I’m sorry about the radio silence today.” He averted his eyes as he prepared to make his confession. “I lost my parents three years ago today. I was – I am – having a hard time dealing with it.”

“Oh, Nick.” Any annoyance Sabrina had at him dissolved. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. His own wound around her and he held her tightly. He felt better almost right away. He kissed her hair as a quiet thank you. “Let’s go inside,” she proposed after a full minute of simply hugging him. “It’s far too cold for us to be out here.”

Nick followed her inside and helped her turn on a few lights. He took a seat on the couch and Sabrina joined him at once. He put an arm around her and pulled her in close. For a few minutes, they just sat there, her head on his shoulder, her hand in his. She let him call the shots, all too aware that he might not want to talk about their deaths but rather just – be.

“They were on their way home from a Christmas party,” he said when he eventually spoke. “There had been a snowstorm a few days earlier. The snow that melted during the day refroze at night. They hit black ice on a bridge and their car plunged into the Potomac. Even if they did survive the crash, the cold would have killed them.”

Sabrina pressed a kiss to his cheek and scratched his scalp. It seemed to help. He leaned into her touch.

“I had just gotten home from a client dinner. I had just been promoted to the position I have now and I was working hard to prove I deserved it. I remember everything so clearly. I had this red tie on that I had been dying to take off. As soon as I walked through the door, I loosened it, slid it over my head, and tossed it on a bar stool. I untucked my shirt and went to the fridge for some water. I had just popped the top on a lemon-flavored Lacroix when there was a knock on my door. There were two Boston police officers, a man and a woman.

“I thought something had happened to my boss,” he continued. “That was my honest to God first thought. That something had happened to my boss and since I was just with him at dinner, they were letting me know. But then they started talking about my parents and my world stopped. The D.C. police had contacted them, had them come to my place to notify me in person. I sat at my bar for a full hour staring at the wall before I had the sense to call my grandma and break the news to her.”

“I’m so sorry, Nick,” Sabrina chanced. “I know saying that doesn’t help, but I understand.”

“I know you do,” Nick nodded. “I’m sorry for shutting you out today. I don’t handle this day well. Grandma called me out on it and helped me through it.” He managed a small smile. “She was pretty happy I headed over here.”

“Please don’t apologize,” Sabrina shook her head. “I’m sorry for being a little pushy with my texts…”

“You sent me our usual good morning message and a question about books,” he said. “That hardly classifies as pushy, Sabrina.” He kissed her hair. “Which, for the record, I read the one about the library. You’re going to hate it.”

“I started it this afternoon…”

“Trust me, you’re going to hate it.”

His stomach chose that moment to growl loudly. Sabrina smiled.

“Hungry?” she asked.

“Apparently,” he admitted. “I haven’t had much of an appetite today.”

Sabrina was already moving to stand.

“I went to dinner with Theo, but I just went grocery shopping…”

“Sabrina, you don’t have to feed me,” Nick tried.

“I made some chicken noodle soup earlier, had a bowl for lunch,” she continued, reminding him of Hilda in the moment with her refusal to hear his denial of food. “It’s Hilda’s recipe, so there is a vat of leftovers. How does that sound?”

“You really don’t have to feed me,” Nick insisted. “I didn’t come here for that. I just – wanted to see you.”

Sabrina smiled at the vulnerability he showed.

“You’re hungry,” she told him. “You have had a rough day, and I have a soup that happens to be a cure all, even if the noodles are full of gluten.” That got a faint smile out of Nick. “Please, Nick, let me take care of you.”

Something deep inside of Nick felt hot. She wanted to take care of him. Not because it was the polite thing to do, but because she wanted to. Her offer, her desire, was genuine. He stopped protesting and nodded his agreement.

Later, snug and warm in her bed, both fully clothed for perhaps the first time since he had started to spend time with her, he thought again about how much he wanted to call up his parents and give them a life update.

This time, he wanted to tell them about the girl who warmed him up a bowl of the best chicken noodle soup he had ever had, that had sat through _Die Hard_ with him after he declared it his favorite Christmas movie, even though she swore it was an action movie that took place at Christmas, that had insisted they needed to make gingerbread cookies at nearly midnight, just because she could tell he was still too wired to sleep. There was a small army of gingerbread men downstairs, waiting to be decorated the next day.

He wanted to tell them about how she fit a little too well into his arms as she slept on his chest.

He wanted to tell them how absolutely terrifying he found it all.

Because snow globe moments weren’t made to last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like, it was sad, but it was also... sweet? I hope? 
> 
> Nick... Might be in pretty deep. I think he's in pretty deep.
> 
> Let me know what you thought of this one! Almost at the end!


	8. Christmas Eve Eve Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll go ahead and warn you. It's not the happiest of updates. But I'm not RAS, am I?

“You missed your calling, Spellman.”

Sabrina looked across her kitchen island at Nick. He was working diligently on her website while she decorated sugar cookies.

“If I missed mine, you certainly missed yours.” She put down her icing bag and went to him. She stood behind him and slipped her arm around his chest. He leaned back into her. It was easy, intimate. “How’s it going, Jobs?”

“Jobs?” Nick asked.

“Steve Jobs. Computers, that sort of thing?”

“You’re a little off with your reference, but we’ll go with it.” He clicked a couple of buttons. “See for yourself.”

Her website bloomed to life. Sabrina gasped. Nick had somehow managed to capture her personality in a palette of colors that reminded her of a sunset. Everything about the site screamed “her” and it not only looked beautiful, but Nick had also explained all of the finer points of things like SEO and how to get people on her mailing list. He had set up an automated email to new subscribers, linked all of her social media channels, even made her the icons and cover photos to match her new website. His attention to detail, his efficiency, his instinct, all of it made her all that more impressed with him.

“I love this, Nick,” she said. “It’s perfect.”

“You’re happy with it?” he clarified.

“So happy with it.” She kissed his cheek. “I’ve been dreaming up posts to write, things to put in my newsletters, social media content… You’ve inspired me.”

“You had the foundation,” Nick reminded her. “You just needed a little bit of a renovation.”

“I needed a complete makeover,” she quipped.

“Only your website,” he assured her as he pivoted on the stool to face her. “Trust me, babe, nothing else about you needs a makeover.” He leaned in to kiss her.

“Babe?” she questioned when he pulled away. Nick shrugged.

“Thought I’d try it out.”

“I didn’t hate it.” She leaned in for another kiss. “Thank you, Nick. This is incredible. And so much more than you needed to do.”

“I don’t mind.” His hands massaged the skin just under her shirt’s hem. “It’s been fun.”

“Do you get to do this stuff at work?” Sabrina wondered.

“No,” Nick shook his head. “My job is a lot of numbers and negotiating and when I’m lucky, a bit of strategy which is what I like. The creative stuff gets farmed out to the creative department on my behalf.”

“Do you like your job?” Sabrina wondered.

“I do,” Nick nodded. “It affords me a lot of opportunity.”

“But do you like it?” Sabrina asked again. “I know you’re dedicated and that you are very good at what you do, but do you enjoy it?”

Nick thought about her question. In quiet moments, he had come back to her question of why work was so important to him. He still didn’t have an answer. He didn’t really have a response for whether or not he enjoyed his job either.

“I like it,” he said after a beat. “Like you said, I’m good at it.”

“That’s not really an answer,” Sabrina chanced.

“It pays the bills,” Nick reasoned. “More than pays them, if I’m being honest.” He had a substantial nest egg he had amassed all on his own, his inheritance largely untouched. “I can’t really complain.” He tugged her closer. “But I can complain about the fact that your lips are not currently on mine and they most certainly should be.”

The next thing Sabrina knew, she was in her bed, sweaty and sated, Nick’s body heavy on top of her. She ran her hand through his hair and sighed in contentment as he hummed in response.

“I didn’t mean to end up here,” he said, a bit bashful. “I really was just going to kiss you.”

“It’s not my fault you find me irresistible,” Sabrina teased.

“It’s entirely your fault,” Nick countered. “I can’t keep my hands – or my lips – off of you.”

“Note I’m not complaining.”

Nick lifted his head and kissed her before he rolled off her. He wasted no time in pulling her to his chest. He liked these moments with her, these quiet moments post sex when they were both naked and vulnerable and she curled into his chest. She didn’t need him to be her protector. She didn’t need him to stand in front of her, defend her. Yet she let him be there, be with her, hold her. It was more than he thought he deserved.

“Are you planning to stay the night?” Sabrina asked. She prayed the answer was yes. She had quickly grown accustomed to having Nick in her bed.

“If I were more responsible, I’d go home,” he said. “Grandma’s party is tomorrow, and I know she has a list of chores for me. But I’m not feeling very responsible right now, so I think I’ll stay put and head home early tomorrow morning.”

“That’s a very good plan,” Sabrina said. It was early still, but she had no intentions of moving. “Stay put, Scratch.”

“Your wish,” he said, “my command.”

* * *

“Nicholas? Is that you?”

“It’s me,” he confirmed as he closed the front door behind him. It was just after eight o’clock. He had made good on his promise to stay at Sabrina’s and return to his grandmother’s early. Far earlier than he wanted to, yet not so early he hadn’t had time to take advantage of waking up naked with Sabrina. He found Amalia in the kitchen. She had an assortment of fruit spread across the table. “What’s all this?”

“Fruit,” she answered. Nick rolled his eyes at the obvious answer. “It’s for the Christmas Eve Eve Eve party tonight.”

“Christmas Eve Eve Eve,” Nick repeated. “Wouldn’t it be easier to say ‘Christmas party’ given that Christmas Eve is two days away?”

“It’s more fun to say Christmas Eve Eve Eve,” she said. “I’ve got a lot of cutting to do, decided I’d get down to it.” She glanced at him as she set to work peeling an orange. “You’re home early. You usually roll in mid-morning at best when you shack up at Sabrina’s.”

“I don’t ‘shack up,’” Nick said, even though he reasoned it was actually pretty close to the truth. “I figured you would need help, so I came home.”

“I’ve got a list for you,” Amalia confirmed. “It’s stuck to the fridge.”

Nick plucked it from the magnet that held it. It included things like ‘pick up cupcakes from Hilda’s cafe’ and ‘add water to the tree.’ It was mundane stuff, but it would take him until well into the afternoon.

“Can I at least have breakfast first?” he wondered.

“Of course,” Amalia agreed. “Pour yourself some of that cardboard cereal of yours.” Nick didn’t bother with a retort but set to pouring himself a bowl of said cereal. “Since I have you…”

“I know that tone,” he said. “You’re about to ask me a bunch of personal questions, probably about Sabrina.”

“Things are going well between the two of you?” Amalia confirmed his suspicions.

“Obviously,” Nick answered.

“What’s the plan, then?”

“What do you mean, what’s the plan?”

“Christmas Day is in four days,” Amalia reminded him. “Then you plan to go back to Boston on New Year’s Day. Has that planned changed?”

“No,” Nick shook his head. “Boston is where my life is, where my job is. I have to get back there after the holidays.”

“And Sabrina?” Amalia continued.

“What about her?” Nick countered.

“Is she a part of this return to Boston plan, or do you intend to break her heart before you head off?”

“I’m not planning to break her heart.” Nick poured almond milk over his cereal but was suddenly a lot less hungry. “She knows this is just a – casual fling.” The words tasted wrong coming out of his mouth. Amalia raised an eyebrow.

“Does she know that?” she wondered. “She seems rather smitten.”

“She knows,” Nick nodded.

But he wondered… Did she? They hadn’t actually put parameters on their relationship, no definitions. He went into it believing it had an expiration date, but had she? Surely she had. She knew his life was in Boston, that he intended to return there. She wasn’t naive. She had to know where things stood between them.

“I’m not sure she does,” Amalia told him, echoing his thoughts. “Sabrina is a sweetheart of a girl, Nicholas. She’s my best friend’s niece. If you don’t see things going any further with her, you need to tell her now, before she gets in any deeper.”

Deep down, Nick knew his grandmother was right. He needed to make sure Sabrina didn’t expect their relationship to go past New Year’s Day. That she knew it was just a snow globe moment. He would have to have a conversation with her sooner rather than later, just to make sure they were on the same page.

But not tonight, he reasoned.

Tonight, he intended to keep her close to his side and if he was lucky, sneak off up to his bedroom for a few minutes while the party raged on downstairs.

Their conversation could wait.

* * *

“What are you doing here?”

“That’s polite,” Ambrose replied. “Especially if you’re here as a customer.”

“You’re working,” Sabrina stated. “That’s different.”

“Hilda has more holiday orders than she was anticipating. I came in for coffee and a pastry and I now regret it.”

“Sucker,” Sabrina stated.

“What are _you_ doing here?” Ambrose countered. “Surprised you’re not holed up in a bedroom with Scratch.” Sabrina gave him a look. “Just calling it like I see it.”

“I’m here to pick up the cupcakes for Amalia’s Christmas party tonight,” Sabrina confessed. “It was on the list of things Nick is supposed to do for her today, but he underestimated how long that list was going to take him. I offered to help him out.”

“Convenient for him,” Ambrose stated. “Hilda is out on a delivery, but she has the cupcakes set aside. Just made and iced them this morning. Help me package them.”

“Right after I get some coffee.” Ambrose rolled his eyes and walked away. Sabrina helped herself to the coffee machine, then joined him in the back room. Four dozen cupcakes in all flavor and icing combinations lined a counter. “Amalia ordered all of these?”

“Amalia ordered two dozen,” Ambrose corrected. “Hilda threw in an extra two because she’s Hilda. Wonder the woman makes any money around here.”

“Her guests won’t go hungry at any rate,” Sabrina stated as she put together one of the carriers. “Nick said he was banned from the kitchen for eating the fruit she was cutting up and that she had elaborate plans for a cheese platter.”

“How are things with you and the aforementioned Nicholas?” Ambrose wondered. “He’s been in your bed more often than not these last couple of weeks.”

“Things are good,” Sabrina shrugged. “I like him, Ambrose. I like him a lot.”

“Uh oh…”

Sabrina frowned.

“Uh oh?” she repeated. “What’s that mean?”

“Doesn’t he live in Boston?” he questioned. “And doesn’t he intend to go back there after the holidays?”

“Well, yes,” Sabrina admitted. “But Boston isn’t far.” She had changed her tune since her talk with Roz about Nick’s permanent address. “A ninety-minute drive. He can come here on weekends, I can go there. I can work from anywhere, and so can Nick. So really, it’s just a matter of if we want the relationship to work.”

“And do you think Nicholas wants the relationship to work?” Ambrose continued his questioning.

“He certainly seems like it,” Sabrina shrugged. “He’s sweet, Ambrose. I know he made a crappy first impression, but he’s not actually like that at all. I like him. I like him a lot.”

“Just be careful,” Ambrose cautioned. “Things may be going well now, but you’re in a bit of a holiday bubble. When reality sinks in, things might get complicated.”

“I think I’m falling in love with him, Ambrose,” Sabrina confessed. “There’s just something about him. I feel like I’ve known him my entire life. Things just make sense with him.”

“Be careful,” Ambrose said again. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m not going to get hurt,” Sabrina assured Ambrose. “I trust Nick. He cares about me.”

She was sure of it.

* * *

“Has anyone told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

Sabrina smiled as Nick’s arm slid around her. He pulled her into his side and pressed a kiss to her temple.

“This guy has mentioned it a time or two,” she said. “I think he might be into me.”

“He most certainly is.” Nick kissed her cheek. “Having fun?”

“I am,” Sabrina smiled. “Did I see you talking to Mr. Putnam?”

“I think I might have bought a cow,” Nick confirmed. “I’m not really sure what happened. He just started talking about cuts of meat and harvesting and the next thing I know I’m agreeing to buy a cow. What in the hell am I supposed to do with a cow in Boston? I’ll have to talk to him after the holidays…” He noted Sabrina’s big smile. “What?”

“Nick, he meant a cow after it’s been butchered,” she said. “That’s what he means by harvest. People buy whole cows – and pigs – from him and he delivers them neatly wrapped and labeled to be kept in freezers until time to be eaten.”

“I really like not knowing where my meat comes from,” Nick shook his head. “I could have just bought the cow that watched me trip over Amalia’s Christmas lights this morning.” Sabrina laughed again which made him smile. “Can I get you anything? Another drink?”

“If I have another drink, I might not be able to drive home,” she said.

“Perhaps that’s my goal,” Nick said as he pulled her close again. “Amalia wouldn’t mind if you stayed here tonight.”

“I’d feel a little weird about it. She’s your grandmother…”

“The first night I stayed with you and tried to sneak in the next morning? She insinuated that while she hoped we used protection, it wouldn’t be the worst thing if she got a great-grandchild out of it. I really think she would be fine.” Nick pulled her still closer. He was vaguely aware of the eyes glancing their way, but he didn’t care right then. “Stay with me tonight. You can sleep in one of my shirts, and you already have a change of clothes here.”

“I have what I wore all day today,” she corrected. She had ended up getting ready for Amalia’s party at Amalia’s after first helping Nick complete his to-do list and then helping Amalia finish setting up. “But I’ll think about it.”

“That’s as good as a yes,” Nick decided. “Want that drink?”

“I think I’ll take advantage of the mulled wine,” she decided, fully aware that she was confirming to Nick she would be staying the night. He kissed her cheek and left her side, only to return within minutes, mulled wine in hand.

The evening proceeded much in the same manner, the pair of them never far from one another, stealing a kiss here, a sweet touch there. The intimacy between them was palpable and as she watched them, Amalia grew more concerned. She knew what Nick said about Sabrina’s awareness of the timer on their relationship, but she was starting to wonder if her grandson truly grasped it. She saw how much happier he was with Sabrina in his life, his schedule more free without work. His high-strung nature had virtually evaporated, his anxiety nearly nonexistent. She had even seen him sneak a gluten-filled cookie when he thought no one was looking.

She was afraid it was going to be _Nick_ that got his heart broken in the end, and it would be of his own doing.

The last of the party guests – Hilda and Cee among them – parted ways just after ten, leaving Amalia, Nick, and Sabrina. Sabrina was in the living room filling a trash bag with used cups and plates when Amalia appeared from where she had been telling Chavis Green a heartfelt goodnight outside.

“Put that down,” she directed. “We’re going to worry about that in the morning.”

“I don’t mind....,” Sabrina tried.

“In the morning,” Amalia said again. “Go on upstairs, dear. Get comfortable. I hear Nicholas in the kitchen. I’m going to send him up too.”

“Is it okay that I’m staying here tonight?” Sabrina asked awkwardly. “I don’t want to impose…”

Amalia scoffed.

“I’ve been telling Nicholas he could have you over. It’s about time you stayed here. I’ll make us a nice breakfast in the morning. Nothing like Hilda would fix, mind you, but I’ll make sure you’re fed. It will be nice, having you here.”

“Thank you, Amalia,” Sabrina smiled. She ventured upstairs, still feeling a bit guilty about the trash left lying around downstairs and found her way to Nick’s room. She plucked a t-shirt off the top of his stack of clothing piled on top of a suitcase and crossed the hall to the bathroom to change. She was grateful she had a few of her toiletries with her, having thought to drop them in a bag in her rush to gather the few things she would need to get ready for Amalia’s party. When she returned to the bedroom, Nick was there, already down to his boxer briefs and pulling back the blankets.

“I’ll have you know that shirt is going to have to come off,” he declared.

“I just picked one,” Sabrina said, thinking she chose a wrong shirt. “I should have asked…” Nick shook his head.

“Oh no, Spellman. I could care less which shirt of mine you’re sleeping in. The problem is that you look so damned good in it I need to see what’s under it.”

Sabrina blushed.

“Your grandmother…”

“Her bedroom is downstairs,” Nick dismissed. “She sleeps with a sound machine on. She’s such a deep sleeper a bomb could go off and she would never know.” He came to her and put his hands on her waist. “Besides, there is this position I’ve been dying to try…”

He kissed her and things dissolved around them. The next thing Sabrina knew, she was naked and in Nick’s bed. He straddled her right leg and rolled on a condom before he guided her left leg to wrap around his left side. When he entered her, he went deep and with both hands free, he worked to stimulate other parts of her.

When they were both spent, Sabrina had a hard time catching her breath.

“That… Nick…”

“We’re doing that again,” he agreed, his own body in a similar state. “Dear God, that was amazing.” Sabrina found the energy to turn onto her side so she could face him. He did the same. He brushed a strand of sweaty hair away from her face. “You have no idea how much of a turn on it is that you trust me with your body the way you do.”

It was an incredible turn on, but it was so much more than that. He appreciated what it meant, that the beautiful girl in his bed was so willing to experiment with him, to take charge one session, only to submit to him another. He didn’t want to take that gift for granted.

“I trust you,” she echoed. “You’re good to me, Nick.”

The phrase made his heart both clench and expand. He thought again of his grandmother’s warning, how he needed to make sure Sabrina knew things between them were no more than a holiday fling. For a moment, he thought about bringing it up right then and there. But looking at her, content and happy, he couldn’t bear to break the moment, not right then. So instead, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

Several minutes passed in peaceful silence before Sabrina broke the moment by extracting herself to use the restroom. She took in her reflection as she washed her hands and liked what she saw. She looked happy, peaceful. She returned to Nick’s bedroom and found him waiting for her. He smiled and pulled the covers back for her to join him. The simple gesture confirmed what she knew deep down. She smiled brightly and slid in next to him. She kissed him, a sweet kiss full of feeling.

“I love you, Nick.”

Nick’s world stopped.

He pulled away and propped himself up on his elbows.

“What?” he questioned.

“I love you,” Sabrina repeated with complete confidence. She had no doubts. “I don’t expect you to say it back. I know it’s fast. But I believe that you should say what you mean, say what you feel. And I love you. I wanted you to know.”

She made to lean in and kiss him, but he pulled back.

“You love me?” he repeated.

“I do,” Sabrina confirmed. She felt uncertainty brewing as she took in Nick’s reaction. “Like I said, I don’t expect you to say it back…”

Nick shook his head.

“No, Sabrina, you can’t love me.”

“But I do…”

“No!” He tossed the blankets back and got out of bed. He used the comforter to cover himself. “You can’t love me. That’s not how this works. This thing between you and I? It’s just a holiday fling. It’s not a relationship. It’s certainly not love.”

Sabrina frowned.

“Just a fling?” she questioned. “Nick…”

“My life is in Boston, Sabrina,” Nick continued. “This isn’t one of those stupid Christmas movies you and Amalia like. I’m not the big city guy that comes to a small town and falls in love. You and I have had fun. We have had some great sex. But this isn’t a relationship. This isn’t love.”

Sabrina’s heart shattered. How had she read things so wrong?

“I’m just sex,” she deciphered as her heart continued to peel off in pieces. “Got it.”

She angrily grabbed for the leggings she had worn earlier in the day.

“Sabrina, wait…”

Nick wasn’t sure what he was asking her to wait for, but he didn’t want her to leave either.

“No,” she shook her head. “There is no reason for me to be here. I foolishly thought this thing between us meant something, that we both felt something. I was so very wrong.” She wiped at her tears with angry strokes, then pulled her leggings on in two sharp tugs. She ripped off his t-shirt she had put back on and threw it at him. “I can’t believe I had the nerve to say you were good to me. You have been using me all along.”

“I haven’t been using you,” Nick tried. He wasn’t really sure what he was saying or doing, just that he suddenly wanted to take back everything he had just said.

“You have.” Sabrina’s eyes were full of tears, but she still managed to glare daggers at him. “If this wasn’t going to go past the holidays, you should have said something. I would have never agreed to a date with you.” Her bottom lip quivered. “Thanks for ruining that for me, by the way. The botanical gardens at Christmas was the most perfect first date I have ever been on, but now I know it was all a lie.”

“No, Sabrina…”

“Go to hell, Nick,” she stated as she tossed her bag over her shoulder. “Go back to Boston, to your life there. Just make sure you tell the next girl or guy that they are just a fling.”

She left his room.

Nick stood dumbfounded for a moment before he recovered his senses.

“Sabrina!”

He made for the door, but remembered he was naked. He dropped the comforter and grabbed the first thing he found, a pair of gym shorts. He thundered down the stairs after her and caught her just as she pulled open the front door.

“Wait!”

He grabbed her arm, causing her to turn to face him.

“Let go of me!” she demanded.

“Sabrina, it’s late,” he tried, holding firm. “Go back upstairs. I’ll sleep on the couch…”

“I’m going home.” She ripped her arm away from him. “I can’t even look at you, let alone go sleep in your bed as though nothing happened.”

“Sabrina, please!”

He had no idea why he was so hellbent on stopping her from leaving, just that he knew, deep down, that her leaving would signify the end of whatever they were, and he wasn’t ready to let her go, despite his insistence that they were no more than a fling.

“You made your feelings clear,” Sabrina said with a bitterness he didn’t know the kind girl could possess. “I can’t take back telling you I love you, but you should know it will go down as the biggest regret of my life to date, and I damned sure won’t make that mistake again.” Tears poured down her cheeks as she glared at him. “I was wrong. You’re not a good person, Nick. But you are damned good at convincing people you are.”

Her words were a sucker punch to his gut. She turned to leave again.

“Sabrina?”

Sabrina sucked in a breath. She had forgotten about Amalia. The woman stood in the entry behind Nick, pulling her robe tight around her as she blinked away sleep.

“What’s going on?” she continued. “Nicholas? Is everything okay?”

Nick couldn’t find his words, nor could he tear his eyes away from Sabrina.

“I’m sorry, Amalia,” Sabrina managed. “Thank you – for everything.” She slipped out the door. Amalia stood for a moment, expecting Nick to go after her. When her grandson didn’t move, she huffed and hurried after Sabrina, not bothering to put on anything warmer than her flimsy bedroom slippers and robe.

“Sabrina?” she called. “Sweetheart, wait a moment!”

Sabrina couldn’t deny her. She stopped in the yard and waited for Amalia, her eyes flickering to the door in case Nick tried to follow. He didn’t.

“I’m sorry for waking you, Amalia,” she apologized. “I just… Need to go.”

“What did he do?” Amalia asked as she reached to hug the girl. “Tell me.”

“It’s my fault,” she shook her head. “I always wear my heart on my sleeve and it always comes back to bite me in the ass.” She shuddered back a sob. “I think I’ve learned my lesson this time though.”

Amalia’s heart broke for Sabrina. She didn’t know what had happened, but she was sure Sabrina had learned that Nick didn’t see their relationship as a long-term thing.

“It’s not your fault,” Amalia assured her. “Please, sweetheart, don’t you dare think whatever happened between the pair of you is your fault.” She hugged her a little tighter. “Do me a favor? Send me a text to let me know you got home okay?”

“I will,” Sabrina promised as she wiped at her eyes again. “I’m really sorry about all of this, Amalia…”

“Nonsense,” Amalia shook her head. “The only person who should be sorry is my grandson.” She caught Sabrina by the chin and wiped away a tear in a very grandmother-like way. “Someday, he’s going to realize he lost the best thing that’s ever happened to him. And when he does, I hope you are so deliriously happy with someone else that he gets a turn to feel the hurt you’re feeling now.”

That made Sabrina smile a bit, even through her tears.

“As mad as I am at him right now, I still don’t want him to hurt like this,” she confessed. Amalia just shook her head, unable to comprehend how Sabrina could show her grandson such grace in the midst of heartbreak. “I’m going to go. I’ll text you when I’m home.”

Amalia stayed outside until Sabrina was safely in her car. She sighed heavily and turned to face her grandson. She found him sitting on the stairs, his elbows on his knees, head hung low.

“What in the hell happened, Nicholas?” she demanded once she shut the door behind her.

“She told me she loved me,” Nick answered in a low voice. “She can’t love me, Grandma. We’ve only known each other a few weeks. You can’t fall in love with someone in a few weeks.”

“Your mother fell in love with your father in a few weeks,” she reminded him. “I fell in love with your grandfather in a matter of days. I was married to that man six months later and we stayed happily married until the day he died nearly forty years later. That girl poured her heart out and if I know her, she didn’t expect for you to return the sentiment, she just wanted to make sure you knew how she felt.”

“It was just a fling,” Nick said. “Love was never supposed to be a part of the equation.”

“Was it just a fling?” Amalia asked. “Or did you just take a wrecking ball to the best thing that’s ever happened to you because you’re too damned scared of giving up what you’ve known at the risk of feeling something new?”

“It was just a fling,” Nick insisted. “My life is in Boston…”

“What kind of life do you have in Boston?” Amalia wanted to know. “You have a career, an expensive condo, a fancy car. What else? What else do you have in Boston?” Nick just looked at her. “Friends?” she prompted. Still, Nick didn’t reply. “You certainly don’t have a significant other. Do you have any hobbies? Anything you do aside from bury yourself in your work from sun up to well past sun down every day?”

“I’m going upstairs.” Nick made to stand.

“No, you’re going to hear what I have to say first,” Amalia informed him.

“Grandma…”

“You wonder if your parents would be proud of you?” she continued. “They wouldn’t be, Nicholas. You seem to think life is about money, accolades, success. It’s not. It’s about people. The people who love you, who are there for you. You are flabbergasted that I chose to move back to my hometown, that I could ever want to trade the glitz and glam of New York for a farmhouse in Greendale. I’m here because my people are here. My husband is gone. My daughter is gone. My only grandson lives in Boston. But here, in this town? I still have Hilda. I still have a number of the people I grew up with. I may even have something special with Chavis, a kind man who has cared for me my entire life. I could care less about the lack of Uber or the fact that there isn’t good Thai food within thirty miles. I have my people and I can make my own damned Thai food.”

“You love this town, I get it,” Nick tried. He just wanted to go upstairs and sort the swirl of thoughts racing around and around in his head. “Can I go…”

“You’re a disappointment, Nicholas.”

Nick jerked his head up to stare at his grandmother.

“What?”

“You’re a disappointment,” she repeated. “I don’t know what possessed you to help me move to Greendale, to stay here, but I was willing to put up with your bitching in the name of spending some with you. You are the only family I have left, Nicholas, but you have made it clear over the years that you have no time for your grandmother…”

“That’s not true,” Nick argued. “I call…”

“Maybe once a month, and only for a few minutes. I have seen you once a year for the last few years. You drive down from Boston on Christmas morning, spend a couple of hours with me, and drive right back. You didn’t even stay for dinner last year.”

“I had to be back…”

“For some meeting,” Amalia dismissed. “Over the last few weeks, I thought you were changing. I thought you were finally starting to see that there was so much more to life than your fancy job. I thought you were falling in love with Sabrina, that she was going to help you see that you could have more than a job and a high-rise condo. I don’t know what you said to that girl, but you crushed her, Nicholas. Sabrina has always worn her heart on her sleeve and she just stood outside and as good as said she was no longer going to give her heart away. You managed to tear out a core part of who she is. I certainly hope the sex you two had was worth it to you, because you just damaged that girl in a way that will take her a long time to recover from.”

Nick felt nauseous.

“Grandma, I didn’t…”

“I think you should go back to Boston.”

Silence fell between them. Nick, still perched on the stairs in nothing but athletic shorts, stared at his grandmother. She stared right back, her gaze steady, her jaw set.

“Grandma, you don’t mean that,” he shook his head.

“I do,” she nodded. “You have made it abundantly clear that you don’t want to be here. And now you have hurt someone I care about. You’re my grandson, and I love you, but I don’t like you very much. You need to figure out who you are and what matters to you. You can choose whether or not you figure that out or continue living your life as is while you look over your fancy Boston Harbor view.”

“You’re serious,” Nick realized.

“I am,” Amalia nodded. “First thing in the morning, I want you on the road to Boston.”

Nick stood, anger coursing through him. He couldn’t believe his grandmother was kicking him out, that she was disappointed in him, that she didn’t even like him.

“No need to wait until morning,” he said. “I’ll get my things and be on my way.”

“So be it,” Amalia nodded. Her phone chimed from somewhere in the house. “That will be Sabrina. I asked her to let me know she made it home okay. Have a safe trip, Nicholas.”

Nick remained where he was and watched his grandmother disappear into her bedroom, noting she didn’t ask him to text her of his sage arrival. He shook his head in disgust, hurried up the stairs, and made quick work of shoving his things into bags. He didn’t bother to tell his grandmother goodbye as he tore out of the front door and into his Porsche.

It wasn’t like she cared anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly love Amalia. She put Nick in his place. Time for him to head back to the city and wallow. One more update - coming tomorrow - and then I'll post my post-Part 4 fic I finished forever ago. It's dark and mature but depending on how Part 4 goes... We might need it. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	9. Matching Christmas Pajamas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I could have cut this into Chapter 9 and an epilogue but I wanted it finished before the end of the year and, well, Part 4. We needed happy. It's a bit long, but I hope its worth it.

Nick watched the sun come up over the harbor. He supposed it was beautiful, but he couldn’t really bring himself to care. The enormity over what had happened over the last twenty-four plus hours had finally sunk in.

He had arrived at his Boston condo just after four in the morning the day before. He didn’t bother to so much as turn on a light, instead opting to fall into his bed and stay there until well into the afternoon. He had been hungry when he woke up and quickly discovered he didn’t have food having been gone for so long. He had bundled up and headed out to the grocery store, cursing the cold, the dirty snow piled up along the sidewalk, the freaking Christmas decorations everywhere, even the small children chattering away about what they wanted for Christmas as they passed him with their parents. By the time he made it to the grocery store, nothing sounded good, so he bought a few random items and returned to his condo to sulk.

At first, he was angry. How dare his grandmother kick him out? She had said it herself – she was all he had left. She was allowed to be mad at him, but kicking him out was uncalled for. So what he hadn’t fallen in love with the girl she so desperately wanted him to end up with? That wasn’t his problem. She couldn’t make him fall in love. It wasn’t his fault Sabrina had fallen in love with him. Maybe it was a little bit his fault that he hadn’t clarified that they were just a fling, but she should have known that. As far as he was concerned, the writing had been on the wall since their very first meeting in Hilda’s Café – he never intended to stay.

Little by little, guilt started to sink in.

He really hadn’t been a great grandson. There wasn’t a lot he could do to defend himself on that one. She was his only living relative and he was hers and he hadn’t even bothered to spend holidays with her. He had only agreed to help her move out of guilt and obligation and perhaps the need for a change of scenery as it had only recently occurred to him that perhaps he needed to do a bit better by Amalia. She was a young sixty-five, in great health, thriving in every way that mattered, but she was still getting older. She wouldn’t be around forever. And so, when she told him she was selling her New York apartment and moving back to her hometown, he had agreed to help and stick around for a while before he realized just what that would entail.

He had decided, too, that he hated his condo. It was too small, too cold. Not cold as in lacking in heat but lacking in warmth all the same. He blamed his expensive leather couch and sharp modern coffee table. He had gotten used to Amalia’s well-worn but comfortable furniture, the homey feeling of her farmhouse, the personal knickknacks and photos all around. The view was fine, but it wasn’t as lively as it used to be, even as boats bobbed in the harbor. He had apparently gotten used to seeing cows wandering when he glanced out a window.

With a heavy sigh, he picked up his phone.

It had been quiet since he left Greendale. No texts, no calls. He had reached out to a few of his co-workers the night before, asking if they wanted to grab a drink or something, but each of them had some sort of similar response. They were with their families for the holidays. One of them had even sent a photo of himself with his wife and their newborn daughter, all dressed in matching Christmas pajamas, dubbed the ‘reject’ set as it wasn’t the pair they had decided to wear the next night, Christmas Eve. It had tugged at Nick, although he didn’t know why. He had no interest in matching Christmas pajamas and newborns of his own.

He went to his email, aware that he wouldn’t have anything of interest there either, not this early in the morning and especially not on Christmas Eve.

His chest clutched.

_Sabrina Spellman has paid you $1,000._

He clicked the email open. It had arrived just after midnight, and she included a succinct note.

_For the website work. Consider this a down payment. Please invoice me for the rest._

That was it. No sign off, no other line of communication. He stared at the email for several long moments as though he was going to decipher something else out of it. He shook his head and clicked through to his PayPal account. A few more clicks, he had returned the money. He didn’t send a note. He didn’t know what to say.

The gesture sent him into a spiral.

He was suddenly too warm. It was harder to breathe, too. He couldn’t sit still. He got up and started to pace.

His condo was too small.

He made a split-second decision to change into workout clothes. He ventured down to his building’s gym, swiped himself in, and got on the first treadmill he found. He ran for a long time in a vain effort to outrun his problems.

It didn’t work.

Now exhausted and no less calm, he returned to his condo and got in the shower. Not even the hot water could relax his tense muscles. He kept thinking, hearing Sabrina’s sweet voice, telling him how good to her he was, only to retract that statement, to tell him he wasn’t a good person at all, but rather good at convincing people otherwise.

And his grandmother had called him a disappointment.

She had a point in some ways. He hadn’t been the best at calling her, at visiting. He had thrown himself into work, into a job he was starting to realize he didn’t even like. He had complained constantly in Greendale about the lack of convivences, at least until he met Sabrina and had her to distract him.

Sabrina, who had been far too good to him, too patient with him, too kind.

Sabrina, who had fallen in love with him and been fearless in sharing those feelings with him.

Sabrina, who had expected nothing in return, only to have her heart shattered.

He gave up on the shower.

With a towel wrapped around his waist, he returned to his bedroom in search of clothing. He flung open one of his suitcases – he hadn’t bothered to unpacked – and started to dig through it. His hand landed on the shoebox of photos his grandmother had given him.

It was like something else took him over. He pulled on a pair of sweats, then sat down on his bed with the shoebox. It was suddenly the most important thing in the world to him to look at those photos once more.

He took in each photo, studying every detail. Some he knew the occasion of, others he didn’t. In every single one of them, he noted how happy his parents looked, how in love they were. It wasn’t a look manufactured for photos either. It was real, palpable. He started to sort them, figuring out some sort of timeline of photos, not really sure why or what he was going to do with them. He found what he thought was his parents’ first photos together, a strip from a photobooth. He took in their young faces, their big smiles.

It reminded him of some of the selfies on his phone of he and Sabrina from their date at the botanical gardens.

His hand reached for another photo. His heart clenched when he took it in.

There, preserved in history, was a photo of his parents with an infant him. They were wearing matching Christmas pajamas. Green with candy canes on them. He had no memory of the apartment they were in, but he knew it all the same. It was a hole of a place in Brooklyn. His parents could barely afford it. They lived on potatoes and instant noodles unless his grandparents brought them food or had them over. They had relied on student loans and his father’s meager income as a waiter to make ends meet, traded off caring for him with going to class because they couldn’t afford a babysitter or daycare. His grandmother had kept him a lot too. Years later, with his career well-established and his family inheritance in the bank, his father had anonymously paid a full year of rent for the tenants that lived in that apartment. They had happened to be a young couple with a young daughter, scraping to make ends meet just as he and his wife once had. He flipped the photo over to see if it was dated like some of them.

_Christmas Eve._

His chest tightened.

He wanted that.

He realized it with a sudden surge of clarity so vivid and bright he couldn’t believe he had ever missed it.

He wanted the life his parents had.

He wanted a family, a home. He didn’t want to be a slave to his job, to sit at home alone on Christmas Eve because what family he did had was mad at him and he had never taken the time to make friends.

He wanted what he had experienced in Greendale.

Family.

Friends.

Small town events.

Sabrina.

He shuttered at the thought of Sabrina.

He really wanted Sabrina.

“Dammit,” he cursed under his breath as his hand raked through his hair. His grandmother was right. He had devastated Sabrina, damaged her, hurt her heart in a way a simple apology wouldn’t heal. “What do I do?” he asked the empty room. He didn’t expect an answer.

He looked down at the photo again. He had been six months old at the time and his parents had been in a state of pure happiness, despite the odds stacked against them, despite not knowing that years later, their financial situation would be vastly different, that they would be able to afford to send the baby in their arms to the best private schools, to pay for his education at an Ivy League school so he wouldn’t graduate with a ton of debt. They had no idea they would die far too young, that they wouldn’t live to see their son make a huge mistake and lose the girl he loved, a girl he knew in his very gut they would have handpicked for him if they could because she was that perfect for him.

The answer became crystal clear in the empty room.

He had to go back to Greendale.

* * *

His hand shook as he lifted it to knock.

He waited, not sure what he would find on the other side.

The door opened. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Nicholas.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma,” he rushed out. He had been rehearsing this since he threw his still-packed suitcases in the back of his SUV and lit out to Greendale, breaking about a dozen traffic laws in the process. “I messed up. I really, really messed up. I know you told me to leave, and I can go if that’s what you want. I’ll find a hotel room or something. But I’m sorry. I want to make things right. I don’t know how, but I want to.”

Amalia took in her grandson. He looked worse for the wear. He was in sweats, his hair a mess, his eyes pleading.

“Come here, Nicholas.” She pulled him into a hug and he returned it, holding his grandmother a little too tight. She didn’t mind.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I’ve been awful.”

“Come inside,” she directed. “It’s cold out here.” He let his grandmother go and followed her inside. “Have a seat,” she directed. “And tell me everything.”

Nick poured his heart out. He told her how cold and lonely his condo had felt, how he started to realize he didn’t have a life in Boston, not really. He told her about the payment from Sabrina, the way it sent him spiraling, how he had gone on a long treadmill run only to find it hadn’t worked, how the shower hadn’t helped either. He rambled about the photos and how he had realized just what his parents had faced to give him the life he had known, how he understood now that they were happy as long as they had each other.

“I want that, Grandma,” he finished his long, rambling story. “I want a wife and a newborn and freaking matching pajamas on Christmas Eve. I don’t want to be this work-obsessed, materialistic guy. He’s miserable and exhausting I don’t want to be miserable and exhausted anymore.” He ran a hand down his face. “Except I’m pretty miserable right now, and I only have myself to blame.”

“You got there a lot faster than I thought you would,” Amalia said with an approving glint in her eye. “I could see it, Nicholas. You haven’t been happy in a long while, not in Boston, not with that job of yours, but then you started spending time with Sabrina and you started to come to life.”

“She hates me,” Nick sighed. “I don’t blame her.”

“She’s not happy with you.” Amalia cut him no slack. He had hurt Sabrina and he needed to make it right. “What are you going to do there?”

“I have no idea,” Nick shook his head. He lifted his eyes to his grandmother. He looked hopeless. “I love her, Grandma.”

Amalia smiled sadly.

“I know you do,” she nodded. “I knew well before you did. I think everyone who saw the pair of you together knew it.”

“I don’t know what to do,” he continued. “I said terrible things…”

“I’m not sure what to tell you,” Amalia said. “You are going to have to figure this one out on your own.” Nick nodded his agreement. For the first time, he realized his grandmother was dressed up.

“You’re going out,” he observed. “I’m sorry. I just barged in… You have plans…”

“I’m going over to the Spellmans,” Amalia confirmed. “They have a huge Christmas Eve party every year. It used to be one of my favorite things to do before Grandpa and I moved to New York. We came back for it a couple of times, before your mom came along.”

“Go,” Nick encouraged. “I’ll be fine here.” He had a thought. “If… I can stay here?”

“Of course you can stay here,” Amalia confirmed. She squeezed his knee. “Want to come with me? See if you can’t get a moment with Sabrina? You’ll have to change, of course…”

Nick shook his head.

“It’s best I lay low,” he decided. “For now, anyway. I need a better plan than just showing up at her aunts’ house during a Christmas party to fumble through an apology.”

“Suit yourself,” Amalia said. “You sure you’re going to be okay?”

“I’m sure,” Nick nodded. “I got myself into this mess. It’s on me to get myself out of it.”

Amalia stood and leaned over to kiss her grandson’s messy curls.

“You’re a good guy, Nicholas,” she said, with no idea that Sabrina had said the same, and then the exact opposite. “You will figure it out.”

When she was gone, Nick leaned into the couch cushions. He opened his phone again, but this time, he went to his photo album. He flipped through it, finding photo after photo of him and Sabrina or else just Sabrina. He had apparently snuck a lot of photos of her over the last few weeks. He paused on a photo of their gingerbread house from Thanksgiving.

An idea started to form.

It was intricate.

He would take him some time and it would be hell to pull off on such short notice.

But only a grand gesture would get Sabrina to even speak to him again.

He had to go all in.

It was his only chance.

* * *

Sabrina was exhausted.

She hadn’t slept well, tossing and turning and still reeling from her fallout with Nick. It felt as fresh now as it had moments after it happened, even though three days had passed. She couldn’t comprehend that she had been so wrong about him, so utterly and entirely off base. She hadn’t expected him to say he loved her, too, but she had expected – something. Anything other than total and complete rejection. The hurt was deep, the sting sharp.

She pasted on her best Christmas morning smile, which was pathetic, and made her way downstairs. Ambrose was there in the entry way, looking out the window.

“Morning,” she grumbled. She checked herself. She needed to be in a better mood. Her family didn’t deserve the brunt of her bad attitude and it was Christmas morning. She could fake happiness for a morning.

“Come have a look outside,” Ambrose replied. “I don’t understand…”

Curious, Sabrina went to the window. Ambrose pulled the cord to lift the blinds for a better look. She gasped. The yard was covered in snow.

“But… It wasn’t supposed to snow last night… The news kept talking about how this was the first time we hadn’t had a white Christmas in…. She realized then that the snow stopped at the mortuary gate. “Wait. Did someone make snow in our yard?”

“Looks that way,” Ambrose nodded. He was as confused as she was. “But – who?”

“What are the pair of you looking at?” came Zelda’s voice.

“It snowed last night,” Sabrina replied. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?” Zelda came to the window, still wrapped in her robe. Mambo Marie drifted behind her. She was quicker to recognize that the snow was manmade than Sabrina. “Who did that?”

“No idea,” Ambrose shook his head. “Perhaps Cee?”

“Cee what?” came Cee’s voice as he and Hilda made their way downstairs. Sabrina had to smile just a bit. Despite her broken heart, it was nice to be at the mortuary with her entire family for the holidays. It had been so long since they were all in the same place, but this year, they made it happen. She knew it was largely because it was her first holiday back in Greendale in a long time. She almost missed Prudence who was spending the morning with her sisters. Almost.

“Did you make snow in our yard last night?” Sabrina asked.

“When would I have had time to do that?” Cee wondered.

“There’s snow in our yard?” Hilda questioned. She opened the front door to get a better look, ushering in a blast of cold air that cut through their pajamas and robes. “Well, I’ll be.”

“Perhaps that has something to do with it?” Cee pointed to an envelope pinned to the porch post. “Sabrina, it’s got your name on it.”

Sabrina stepped out into the cold air. Sure enough, it was her name scrawled across the envelope in vaguely familiar handwriting. She removed the pin and opened it. A plain piece of cardstock was inside.

_I wanted to make sure you had snow for Christmas._

That was it. No signature, no identifying mark of any sort.

“Who played Mother Nature last night?” Ambrose asked.

“I still don’t know,” Sabrina said. She looked around as though the answer might materialize.

“Could it have been – Nicholas?” Mambo suggested carefully.

“Most certainly not,” Sabrina said with confidence. Deep deep down, she knew it was, in fact, from Nicholas, but she wasn’t willing to admit it, let alone allow herself to believe it, not after everything that happened between them. She looked around for another few moments, taking in the snow. It really was beautiful, but she was wasn’t going to dwell on it, lest her fragile fake smile give away to the pained expression hiding beneath it. “Let’s go inside, open presents.”

The rest of the day passed by in a blur of presents, a Christmas breakfast, a much needed nap and then a big Christmas dinner. Sabrina was grateful to arrive at her own home just after dark. She sat in the car for a moment and took in her lights, thought about how plain the house would look when she stripped everything down. She would do that tomorrow, she decided, more than ready for a fresh start and to put the holidays behind her this year. She got out of her car and started the work of gathering her overnight bag and gifts, determined to only make one trip.

Headlights flooded her driveway. She blinked and shielded her eyes from the brightness.

“Get in loser,” came a familiar voice. “We’re going… Well, not shopping. It’s Christmas night. Just… Get in.”

“Theo?” Sabrina questioned as her eyes adjusted. “What are you doing here?”

“Giving you a ride,” came Robin’s voice. “You heard Theo. Get in.”

Sabrina remained right where she was.

“Where are we going?” she wanted to know.

“It’s a surprise,” Theo said. “We’re officially on ‘cheer Sabrina up’ duty. Into the backseat you go.”

“It’s Christmas night…”

“True,” Robin agreed. “But it’s not all that late. Barely even six o’clock. Come on, Sabrina. In the Jeep you go.”

She still wavered. She didn’t like being in the dark about what was going on and after a full day of being around her family, despite how much she loved them, she wanted the peace and quiet her space would afford her.

“I’m sure whatever you have planned is great, but…”

“Backseat,” Theo cut her off. “Now. Don’t make me get out of this Jeep. You know I’m scrappy. I could take you.”

“Get in, Sabrina,” Robin added. “Just trust us, okay?”

Sabrina sighed. She wouldn’t put it past them to manhandle her into the vehicle if she kept protesting.

“Fine. Don’t make me regret this.” She dumped her things back in her car, locked it, and joined Theo and Robin. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going now?”

“To look at Christmas lights,” Theo said simply.

Sabrina busied herself with her phone as they drove, aware she wasn’t going to get any further answers. She checked her email and groaned. Nick had, once again, returned her payment. She had been livid when it bounced back to her the day before, and so she had re-sent it, this time adding five hundred dollars and a terse message that said he simply had to accept it. He had sent it back just a couple of hours earlier. There hadn’t been a note either time. She sighed and decided to try another route tomorrow. Maybe a cashier’s check this time.

“Sabrina?” came Robin’s voice. “We’re here.”

Sabrina looked out the window and gasped. They were at the botanical gardens.

“Why are we here?” she wanted to know. “They’re not even open on Christmas Day…” She certainly had no desire to be there after creating what was the equivalent of a false memory with Nick in those gardens. “What’s going on?”

“There’s something here you need to see,” Theo answered. “We’ll sit in the parking lot and wait. All you need to do is follow the path.”

“What path?” Sabrina wanted to know. “What’s going on?”

“Just get out of the car and follow the path,” Robin directed. “We will be right here if you need us.” He kicked back in the passenger’s seat with a thermos Sabrina assumed held hot chocolate. She considered protesting, but her curiosity got the best of her.

At first, she didn’t see a path. But then she spied a line of fairy lights and went towards them. Little gingerbread men cookies lined the path as she followed it, her heart thumping in her ears as her brain both recognized the clues pointed to Nick and tried to deny it lest she get disappointed once more. The path opened into the garden where she and Nick had shared their first kiss. At first, she didn’t see anything. Even the lights were switched off.

But then she saw the gingerbread house.

It wasn’t her and Nick’s gingerbread house – that one was still thriving at the mortuary along with the others – but an attempt to replicate it had been made. It was messy and red and green M&Ms took the place of the rock candy, but the attempt was there all the same. She considered it, trying to understand, to see if there was another clue.

That was when she spied the photo.

It was propped up at the gate of the gingerbread house. She stooped and picked it up. It was an old photo. While she didn’t recognize the people in the image, there was something familiar about them. They wore matching green Christmas pajamas with candy canes. The man and woman looked impossibly happy and the baby in their arms was chubby and cute. They were posed in front of a shabby looking Christmas tree, its branches draped with tinsel in an effort to disguise just how bare its branches were. She turned it over, hoping for a clue as to who it was and why it was there. It only read _Christmas Eve_ in faded handwriting.

The lights turned on and the garden blazed to life.

Nick stood there, bundled up against the cold. He looked nervous, cautious. Sabrina noted how exhausted he looked, the dark circles under his eyes, the puffiness around them. She was too surprised at his appearance to speak.

“I know you may not want to see me,” he began quietly. He sounded even more nervous than he looked. “That’s my fault. But I needed to see you.” He took a big breath and when Sabrina didn’t reply, he continued. “These last few weeks with you, here, in Greendale, have been some of the best of my life in a really long time. I had gotten so wrapped up in my job, in Boston, that I didn’t realize I wasn’t really living, not until I was here, with you and my grandmother. It took hurting you and my grandmother kicking me out to realize it, but I don’t want that life anymore. I don’t want to be married to my job, walking through life with no roots, not even a friend. I want that.”

He pointed to the photo she still held in her hand.

Sabrina looked at it again. She realized who was in the photo then, even though she had never seen them before.

“This is you,” she realized. “With your parents.”

“That’s us,” he agreed. “It was my first Christmas. My mom had just turned seventeen, my dad was nineteen. Mom was a senior in high school, my dad was a freshman in college. His parents had disowned him, and they were relying on student loans, crap jobs, and my grandparents to get by. But they were happy because they had each other and that’s all that mattered to them. I want that, Sabrina. I want you. I want to be happy. With you. I want Christmas Eve matching pajamas with _you_.”

He took a step closer to her.

“I said some awful things to you…”

“You did,” Sabrina nodded. Her voice cracked. “I didn’t expect to hear ‘I love you’ back, but I didn’t expect such a blatant rejection either.” Her eyes burned with tears at the memory. “I don’t understand why you’re here, Nick, what you’re doing. You made it perfectly clear where you stood on things. I don’t understand the sudden change of heart.”

“I’m here because I need to apologize, to tell you how sorry I am,” he continued. “And I need to tell you that I love you, too.”

A tear rolled down Sabrina’s cheek.

“You really hurt me, Nick,” she whispered.

“I know.” Tears burn behind his eyes. “I keep hearing you tell me I was good to you, only to have you retract it. My grandmother told me I’m a disappointment. I keep hearing that on repeat too. Neither of you are wrong, but I want you to be. I want to prove myself to you, to my grandmother, too.”

He took another step closer.

“I’m making some changes. Big ones. Scary ones, if I’m being honest. But they feel right. I’m not going anywhere, Sabrina. I don’t know what my future looks like, but I hope like hell you will be in it.” He nodded towards the gingerbread house. “That you and I will build gingerbread masterpieces together for years to come.” He spread his arms out. “That I’ll be able to bring you here year after year so we can re-live our first date, that we can bring our kids here, put them on that little kiddie train thing, let them visit Santa.”

Sabrina just looked at him. She didn’t know how to respond. She was guarded, careful. She wanted to believe him, wanted to give in. But he had hurt her, and she couldn’t just let that go, no matter how grand his gesture was.

“The snow,” she said. “Was that you?”

“It was,” he nodded. He smiled just a bit. “It’s not easy to get your hands on a snow machine on Christmas Eve night and they may just name a garden after me after the donation I made to this place to convince them to open it for me tonight, but it was worth every dime.” He took another step forward. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but he sensed her hesitation. “This isn’t going to be like those Hallmark movies, is it?” he asked, not quite able to hide his disappointment. “You’re not going to fall into my arms and let me love you.”

“I can’t,” Sabrina shook her head. “Part of me wants to, but I put my heart on the line, and you stomped on it just a few days ago.” His crestfallen features tugged at her, but she held firm. “I’m not turning you down, Nick, but I need some time…”

He nodded.

“I understand.” He thought it might come to that. Sabrina was too strong and independent to be swayed on the spot. As much as he wanted her to fall into his arms, he would accept her speaking to him again. He would continue to fight for her from here. “I meant what I said, Sabrina. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be here.” He reached out a hand and caught her fingers with his. It was a loose touch, but it was contact all the same. “I love you, Spellman. It may sound like an outlandish statement right now, after everything I said and did, but I want it all with you.” He squeezed her hand. “I thought of our time together as one of those moments trapped inside one of those snow globes of yours. Preserved perfectly in time. But now? Now I want to live inside of that snow globe, in that moment, with you.”

“I just need some time,” Sabrina said again, unable to process everything happening. “All of this… It’s so much…”

It was a lot. In the span of an evening, Nick had blown back into her life with an elaborate gesture and all the right words. She was still raw though, still hurting from what had transpired in his bedroom. She needed some time to digest everything.

“I understand,” he said again. An awkward silence passed between them. “Can I walk you to the car? I asked Theo and Robin to stay, just in case…” He had had a feeling things would go like this between them. He didn’t want Sabrina stranded, forced to rely on him to get home.

“That would be okay,” she agreed.

They set out together back down the path lined with gingerbread men.

“The gingerbread men… Was that you?” she asked. “I don’t remember them from when we were here.”

“It was me,” Nick confirmed. “I wouldn’t eat them if I were you. They taste terrible. And don’t look too closely at the gingerbread house. I did my best, but you were the one with the Midas touch on that. I couldn’t find those little rock candies so I used what I had. I tried though, and I hope that counts for something.”

“It does,” Sabrina assured him. “It really does, Nick.” She spied Theo’s Jeep in the distance. “And Theo and Robin?”

“I needed a way to get you here,” he confessed. “I pleaded my case to them this afternoon, and they took pity on a desperate man.” Sabrina nodded and quiet fell between them as she spun through the various ways in which Nick had pulled strings to get her to the botanical gardens. They turned to face one another when they reached Theo’s Jeep. “I’m so sorry, Sabrina.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. His lips were lighter than a feather, but they sent heat through her all the same. “I love you, and I’m going to prove it.”

“I’ll talk to you soon,” she replied. “I just need to process all of this.”

“Take all the time you need,” he said. “I’ll be here.” He reached for the door handle but paused. “Just… Stop trying to pay me for the website, okay? I did that for you, Sabrina. Not to get paid.”

“We can talk about that at a later date,” she determined. “Thank you for all of this, Nick. I promise it wasn’t for nothing.”

“I love you,” he replied. He wanted to make sure he said it. “I’ll see you soon.”

Sabrina was largely quiet on the ride home. She knew she had left Nick disappointed, but she couldn’t just fall back in his arms. She needed to process it all, figure out how to proceed. She wanted to give him a chance, but with her wounds so fresh, cautious was the only way she knew to move forward. She mumbled out a ‘thank you’ to Robin and Theo and dismissed their offer to come inside. She left her things in her car and climbed her porch steps.

A small gift bag sat on her doormat.

Somehow, she knew it was from Nick, that it had been there since well before she returned home from the mortuary. She smiled a bit, picked it up, and let herself inside. She wasted no time in pulling the tissue paper out of it. She reached in and recognized what it was the moment her hand wrapped around it, even though it was frigid to the touch.

It was a snow globe.

With a gingerbread house inside.

She turned it over, then flipped it back up to watch the snow and glitter fall around it.

She noted the engraving in the base then.

_Sabrina and Nick, Christmas 2020._

It was a bold move, to engrave the moment in a way that couldn’t be erased, that marked what she thought might be a beginning, what she thought Nick wanted to be a beginning. It made her smile.

She picked up her phone and found Nick’s contact. She sent him a photo of the snow globe, then typed out a message.

_Breakfast tomorrow?_

Nick’s reply was almost instant.

_I would love nothing more._

* * *

Nick was nervous as he knocked on Sabrina’s door and waited for her to answer. This was their first real date since his Christmas night declaration, and he wanted – needed – it to go well. He broke into a big smile when Sabrina opened the door.

“Hi,” she breathed.

“You look stunning,” he replied as he took in her red dress. “Truly, I’m stunned.”

“You look rather handsome yourself,” she said as she took in his suit. “Come inside. I’m nearly ready to go.” She smiled at how cautious he was. It was new, seeing him so nervous around her, even as he tried to hide it and appear his usual suave self. “How was Boston?”

He had driven to Boston the day before to pick up a few things, including his suit, and came back that morning. He had met her at Hilda’s for coffee on the way out, called her once he arrived, and texted her a few times throughout the day. He had ended the night by Facetiming her and she had demanded a condo tour which he had begrudgingly gave. He had confessed to being a bit embarrassed by the lack of personal touches and warmth. He had called again that morning and confirmed their New Year’s Eve plans as he drove back to Greendale. He was trying, and she was willing to give him an awful lot of credit for his efforts.

“Cold,” he said. “Snowy.”

“I still can’t believe it hasn’t snowed in Greendale,” she commented. He watched her put a few things in the clutch she planned to carry that night. She was beautiful, and she had no idea how far he would go to earn her back.

“I, um, quit my job,” he blurted out.

Sabrina stopped and looked at him. She was striking with her smokey eye shadow, her hair curled, those lips as red as ever.

“You quit your job?” she repeated. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly.

“That’s the real reason I went to Boston,” he confessed. “I wanted to meet with my boss in person. We had dinner last night and I quit.”

“You quit,” Sabrina parroted. It seemed so unlikely. “Why?”

“I don’t want to do it anymore,” Nick shrugged. “You asked me once why work was so important to me. I didn’t know the answer at the time, but I know now that it was important to me because it was all I had. When you asked me if I enjoyed it? The answer was no. It took being here and meeting you for me to realize I didn’t enjoy it, that I only threw myself into it because it was the only thing I had in my life.”

“So you quit,” Sabrina repeated. It still seemed outlandish. “What are you going to do?”

Nick shrugged again.

“Build websites, that sort of thing. I really liked the work I did on your site and I’ve missed getting to be creative. I lost the creative side of things as I advanced at the firm. I figure I can combine what I like with what I know about strategy and start my own company.” He smiled a bit sheepishly. “I started working on my own website when I got back from dinner last night, but I need some updated headshots.”

“I happen know someone who is decent with a camera,” Sabrina offered with a hint of a smile. “You’re going to work for yourself?”

“I am,” he nodded. He prepared to share his next bit of news. “I’ve done pretty well for myself, have savings, a trust fund I haven’t touched. I have a few leads from former clients. I’m planning to put my condo on the market, too, move here on a permanent basis.”

Sabrina stared.

“You’re moving here? To Greendale?”

“My grandma is here.” He chanced a hopeful smile. “So is my girl.”

That made Sabrina smile.

“I think Greendale would be happy to have you.”

That added a little bit of hope to Nick’s tank.

In the near week since Christmas, he had spent as much time with her as he could without appearing desperate or overbearing. He had taken her to breakfast the next morning, offered to help her take down her Christmas decorations when he learned of her plans for the remainder of the day. He had given her a day of space after that to spend some time with his grandmother and let Sabrina consider how she felt about him, then asked to take her to lunch the next day. She had agreed and he had been surprised to find himself invited in when he brought her back home. He had spent the whole afternoon with her, then politely declined when she asked him to stay for dinner. He didn’t want to push his luck, but he asked her to be his date to the Greendale New Year’s Eve party on the way out. He had practically skipped home when she said yes with that big smile of hers he loved so much.

“Okay,” she said as she closed her clutch, “I think I’m ready.”

“You really do look beautiful,” Nick said again. He moved to help her into her coat, but she held out a hand to stop him.

“Before we go, I have something for you.” She plucked a slim package he hadn’t noticed before from where it rested on the bottom stair and held it out to him. “For you. A belated Christmas gift.”

Nick took the package curiously. He tore away the paper and gasped. The family photo of him with his parents in matching Christmas pajamas had been translated onto canvas. It was perfect. His eyes watered. He blinked the tears away.

“Sabrina… How…”

“Your grandmother helped me out,” she admitted. “I wanted to do this, and she helped me get my hands on the original. We may or may not have had to go through a few things in your room.”

“I suppose it’s a good thing I have nothing to hide,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.

“I scanned it into my phone, then sent it to be printed on canvas,” Sabrina continued. “We won’t discuss how I managed to get it printed overnight, but let’s just say when the photo guy at Target asks for a favor down the road, I can’t say no.”

“This is perfect,” Nick said as he took in the image. He wiped at his eyes. “I haven’t really put personal affects around my condo and I was thinking it would be nice to do that in whatever place I end up in here. Maybe I’ll print some more of these…” He trailed off, taking in the photo. “Thank you, Sabrina. This is easily the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever given me.”

Sabrina could tell the canvas had affected Nick. She hadn’t known it would hit him that hard, but it softened up the last bits of hardness she held in her heart for him. She went to him and wrapped him in a hug.

She could no longer deny that she wasn’t right at home in his arms. He had hurt her, but he had gone all in to prove to her that he cared, that he loved her. She was finding fewer and fewer reasons to withhold her heart. It had certainly helped his cause that Amalia had gone to bat for him while she was over the day before to get her hands on the photo while Nick was gone.

“You okay?” she asked him as she hugged him.

“I’m good,” he nodded. “Better than.” His arms tightened around her and he kissed her hair. They still hadn’t shared a kiss since Nick’s Christmas night confessions, but each time they were together, their touches became a little more intimate. “I want that,” he reminded her. “The family, the matching pajamas.” He kissed her hair again and felt vulnerable. “I want that with you.”

He was relieved when Sabrina’s embrace tightened.

“Just remember you wanted the matching pajamas when you’re complaining about having to wear them,” she said. He chuckled and reluctantly let her go.

“I don’t think I’ll be allowed to forget,” he said. “Mind if I leave this here and pick it up when I bring you home?”

“Of course,” Sabrina nodded. She had a feeling Nick wasn’t going to be leaving tonight. She took it from him and took another look at it.

“Your mother was gorgeous.”

“She really was,” Nick nodded.

“And your dad? Totally see why she went for him. You look like him, just with your mom’s coloring.”

“You calling me handsome, Spellman?” he teased.

“I might be,” she teased right back. She tapped the infant him in the photo. “You were so cute, Nick. Your grandma showed me a few more photos. You had rolls for days.”

“Now I’ve got abs,” he said in his cheeky way. Sabrina rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

“Yes, you do,” she confirmed as she propped the photo up on her entryway table. “Ready to go?”

“I am,” he confirmed.

They spent the evening at the Greendale community center, dancing, eating, laughing. Nick was more relaxed than he had been in a long time, found himself enjoying the small town blowout, even noted he and Harvey had oddly warmed up to one another after realizing they shared a love of comic books. Nick had even been cordial with Chavis Green, having accepted that the man and his grandmother were a thing now. He wasn’t all that bad, even if he hinted that he’d be asking Nick for help around the farm now that a ‘strong young man’ was moving to town. Sabrina had hid her face in his shoulder to hide her laughter, then teased him about his new status as a farmhand. He had responded by twirling her onto the dance floor where he could hold her close. They seemed to be on the dance floor a lot.

It was Sabrina that extricated him from a dance with her aunt Zelda, the third of the night.

“I’m going to need my date back,” she said as she took Nick’s arm. “It’s nearly midnight.”

“I do suppose I should find my girlfriend, shouldn’t I?” Zelda asked. She patted Sabrina’s cheek. “Don’t worry, dear, I kept him warm for you.”

“Auntie!” Sabrina exclaimed as Nick made a face. Zelda just shrugged and waltzed away. Sabrina turned to Nick. “You sure you want to put up with a girl with her for an aunt?”

“I’m certain,” Nick assured her as he pulled her into his arms to finish the dance. “I’m also certain I was told the rooftop is actually the best place to watch the bell drop.”

It was Greendale’s twist on the New York Times ball drop to drop a lighted bell at midnight. Around them, the townspeople were already filtering out into the square to watch.

“I may have heard that too,” Sabrina nodded with a smile. It had been her that told Nick as much. She knew it would set his gears in motion and she very much wanted him on that rooftop, alone. “Shall we?”

She tugged him away from the dance floor and towards an exit marked ‘Authorized Personnel Only.’ In true Sabrina fashion, she blew right through it.

“Always the rule breaker,” he teased as they climbed the steps.

“You know you love that about me,” she teased right back,

“I absolutely do,” Nick assured her. They pushed through another door and stepped out onto the rooftop. It was only then that they both realized they had forgotten their coats. “Here.” Nick shrugged out of his suit jacket. “Put this on, Spellman. I at least have long sleeves on.”

Sabrina didn’t argue. She slipped Nick’s jacket on and liked how it fell heavy and too big around her.

“We won’t be out here long,” she told him. “It’s only a couple of minutes to midnight.” She beamed. “But I did think ahead…” She went to the ledge and Nick spotted the champagne bucket. She removed a bottle and held it out to him. “Open it? For all my rule breaking, I somehow struggle with the art of opening a bottle of champagne without wasting half of it.”

“I happen to be a pro at it,” Nick said as he took the bottle. He artfully removed the cork with a resounding “pop” and no spillage. Sabrina held out two glasses. He poured and Sabrina passed him a glass.

“To us,” she said, holding her glass up in a toast. “And a new year full of new adventures.”

“Us,” Nick repeated. He didn’t clink his glass with hers though, instead holding it back to avoid hers. “Does that mean I have a chance at having you as my girlfriend in the new year?”

“You have more than a chance,” Sabrina assured him. “You have a girlfriend. As long as you want one.”

“I want one very much,” Nick assured her. “But I want a very specific girl to fill that role.” He stepped closer. “Only you will do, Sabrina Spellman.”

“It’s a good thing I very much want the role then, isn’t it?”

Their glasses clinked together, but only because their lips, too, found their way to one another. Nick broke the kiss, but only for a moment.

“Take a sip of that champagne, Spellman,” he directed. “It’s bad luck to toast and not sip.” She giggled, but took a sip all the same, as did Nick. He then took her glass from her and placed it on the ledge along with his. “Now come back here.”

Below them, the countdown to a new year sounded as Nick kissed Sabrina with all he had. She returned it, sealing their relationship status.

“I love you,” he breathed when they parted for air, foreheads resting together. The crowd cheered as the clock struck midnight.

“I love you, Nick,” she replied. “I hope you know you aren’t going home tonight.”

“I am home,” he replied. “With you. You’re my home. You’re all I ever wanted, everything I didn’t know I needed.

He kissed her again.

And finally, for the first time that winter, it started to snow.

Sabrina pulled away to look up at the sky, her features flush with happiness.

“If I would have known all it took was a midnight kiss on a rooftop with my boyfriend to make it snow, I would have told you I loved you sooner,” she quipped.

“Our own snow globe,” Nick replied as he too looked up at the sky. “I’ll take it.”

Sabrina beamed at him.

“Happy New Year, Nick.”

“Happy New Year, Spellman.” He pecked her lips. “I think this is going to be the best one yet.”

* * *

Nick surveyed his work, pleased with his efforts. The Christmas tree lights danced off of Sabrina’s collection of snow globes. He smiled to himself, wondering at the fact that this was his life, that it had truly happened. He was pulled from his reverie by the sound of Sabrina entering the room.

“You’ve been busy,” she noted.

“I think we went a little overboard,” he replied.

“I think _you_ went a little overboard,” Sabrina corrected. “I believe I reminded you that she’s only six months old and has no idea what’s going on.”

“It’s her first Christmas,” Nick said as he reached for the fat, happy baby in his wife’s arms. She went to him with open arms and an excited coo that made him smile. She had him wrapped around her tiny fingers and he was sure she already knew it. “I couldn’t help it.”

“You do like to spoil your girls,” Sabrina said, eyes dancing as she took in her husband and their baby. She had married Nick fifteen months ago and no one, least of all them, were surprised when a baby came along soon after.

“My girls deserve the world,” Nick countered. “Look, Lily.” He turned her to face the Christmas tree. She loved to look at the lights and had recently started to army crawl. The tree was typically her go-to destination when she managed to make a break for it. “This is the only year you’re going to see what Santa brought you before you actually wake up on Christmas morning.”

Sabrina beamed. She loved many things about Nicholas Scratch, but him as a father was by far her favorite. They had both taken to parenthood pretty naturally, but Nick was on another level. They spent most of their time together and with their daughter, both working from home, and while some people found it odd – Roz swore she could never work and live in the same place as Harvey – it worked for them. Nick had his office, she had given up hers in the name of a nursery, but they found themselves working together on the couch more often than not.

Things had moved quickly once Nick declared his intention to stay in Greendale. He had moved in first with Amalia, and then within three months, Sabrina was practically packing up his things herself to get him to move in with her. They were engaged six months later, married soon after. Her book had been released just before their baby’s birth and it was a bestseller. She was working on her second and her travel blog was thriving while Nick’s web design and marketing business was so successful he had had to hire help. They managed to travel often enough, a week here, two weeks there. Lily had been on a plane at two months old and Sabrina had high hopes that their daughter would always be such a good traveler.

Despite their successes in their careers and their marriage, Lily was their greatest accomplishment. They had considered naming her after both Sabrina’s mother and Nick’s, as well as one of her aunts or Amalia, but in the end, they wanted her to have her own name, her own opportunity to form a legacy not tied to someone else’s. Nick had suggested Lillian and Sabrina had known right away it was right. They started calling her Lily on day one and the nickname stuck. She was a fat, happy baby, and of course, she looked just like her father. She was even born a few days before his birthday. But Nick swore she had Sabrina’s eyes. It was part of the reason he was sure he would never be able to say no to her.

“She’s going to be so fun next year,” Sabrina predicted. “She will be old enough to understand a bit about what’s going on.” She wiped away a bit of drool from Lily’s chin with her thumb. “It’s pretty magical all the same though, watching her take everything in.”

“Everything about her is magical,” Nick said. He kissed the baby’s cheek. She giggled and bounced in her arms. Sabrina chuckled.

“She really does think you’re the funniest guy in the world.”

“I can’t wait until she gets old enough for me to use dad jokes,” Nick said.

“You already toss out dad jokes,” Sabrina reminded him. “It’s like you found out you were going to be a dad and they just started pouring out of you.”

“Comes with the territory,” Nick said. “It’s in the rule book.” Sabrina just shook her head in amusement. “I’m still waiting for your aunts and my grandmother to show up on our doorstep with flaming torches.”

“I made myself perfectly clear,” Sabrina stated. “They are to stand down until at least ten o’clock tomorrow morning. Then they can bust down our door and give Lily far more presents than she needs. But for their sake, Hilda better bring breakfast.”

“She’s bringing cinnamon rolls,” Nick said. “Cee told me so. He was salty she wouldn’t let him have one when she baked them earlier.”

Sabrina laughed again.

It had been a task, getting the Spellman aunts and Amalia to understand that she and Nick wanted to spend Lily’s first Christmas together, just the three of them. The Spellmans had expected them to stay at the mortuary, Amalia wanted them at her house, and Nick had left it to Sabrina to sort out by disappearing into the study with Ambrose and a glass of bourbon once the Christmas Eve party at the Spellmans dispersed. He had taken Lily with him though, mostly because he didn’t put it past Zelda Spellman to take her as a hostage.

“We should put her down for the night,” Nick said. “It’s already well past her bedtime.”

“We should,” Sabrina agreed. “She’s clean, fed, fresh diaper. But before we do, we have a family photo to take.” She produced her camera and a tripod Nick hadn’t noticed laying on the coffee table as he assembled Lily’s toys while Sabrina got her ready for bed. He broke into a big smile.

“Matching Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve,” he nodded. All three of them wore buffalo plaid pajamas. It was all he had wanted when he laid his heart on the line to Sabrina in the middle of the botanical gardens, the same gardens they had returned to the last two years, most recently with Lily in tow. She had been too small for the train ride, but they had gotten the photo with Santa. His generous donation to get them to open on Christmas night had also earned them a lifetime membership and he had found their Halloween set up almost as much fun as Christmas. They had taken Lily to that, too. “We’re ready when you are, Mama.”

Happy chills went through Sabrina. She and Nick had fallen into the parent trap of calling each other ‘Mama’ and ‘Daddy’ in front of Lily and every time Nick did it, she wanted to do things to him that would get them another baby.

“You get in front of the tree. I’ll get this set up.”

Sabrina eyed the canvas of Nick with his parents displayed prominently on their fireplace. She felt the usual pang that came along with the realization that they were quickly outgrowing the little house she had purchased when she decided to stop traveling so much, but she knew too that as long as she had Nick and Lily, home would be with them and the new house they would find in the new year and buy together would bring them years of sweet memories. She positioned the camera and took a few test shots, determined to recreate the photo as close as possible.

“Perfect,” she declared. “Don’t move, Scratch.” She set the timer and hurried to Nick’s side. He put an arm around her and she position her hands – one on him, one on Lily – just the way his mom had. They smiled bright and she checked the photo once it was taken. “Got it!” She turned the screen so Nick could see. “Come look.”

Nick’s throat tightened as he realized Sabrina had recreated the photo with him and his parents almost perfectly.

“God, I love you.” He pulled her into him. “Let’s take that exact same photo every year.”

“You read my mind.” He kissed her hair.

“Speaking of tradition…” He passed Lily off to her and went to the tree. Sabrina sat down on the couch, well aware of what Nick was up to.

“What’s Daddy doing?” she asked Lily. “You think he’s got a present for Mama?”

“Lily helped pick it out,” Nick said as he placed the bag in front of her. Lily went for the tissue paper. They laughed and let her pull it out. Sabrina expertly balanced Lily and removed the bag’s contents in that way mothers had of doing multiple things at once. She knew what to expect but gasped all the same.

The snow globe contained a perfect wooden carving of a mother, father, and a baby. Tears sprang to her eyes. She hadn’t bought or received a snow globe since her parents died until Nick presented her with the gingerbread house one in his effort to win her back. He had followed it up the next year with one depicting their engagement, then with one that highlighted their marriage. This one marked Lily’s birth.

“Lily’s first Christmas, 2023,” she read. “This is the most perfect one yet.”

“I think so too,” he agreed. He kissed her hair, then her lips. “How about we put this one in her crib and maybe… think about doing something that might get us another one?”

“I wanted to wait until Lily was at least a year old,” Sabrina said as she stood with Lily in her arms. “But you really orchestrated the perfect way to get me to take off these matching Christmas pajamas and see what happens.”

“Bed for you,” Nick determined as he took Lily. “Right now.”

Sabrina laughed and followed Nick upstairs.

In their matching Christmas pajamas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that's the endgame we deserve. I haven't actually watched Part 4 and won't until next weekend after I drive across the country and get settled into my Los Angeles apartment, but I've read all the spoilers, watched all the YouTube scenes... Sigh. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this one and have room for me to share at least one more story with you. It's post-Part 4, but if Part 4 would have gone my way (aka literally any other way). It's 50 years into the future, much more mature/dark at times, but I honestly really love it. It's also entirely written, so updates will come at a steady clip!
> 
> Thank you guys for reading and for loving Nabrina too. It feels appropriate that the first show I'll watch in my new apartment in L.A. where I'll be pursuing the goal of making my own TV shows be CAOS. It was the show that reignited my love of fan fics and got me to realize I could do this for a living. Thank you, all of you, for reading and for being such an incredible group of "friends." 
> 
> Sappy moment over. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the fluff and the image of Nick Scratch and Sabrina Spellman in matching Christmas pajamas. Or at least Nick as a fat baby...

**Author's Note:**

> Nick... He's high maintenance. He's gotten real used to life in the city. But he's also a really good grandson. As for Sabrina, she's just happy to be home with her family and friends after quite the whirlwind career. 
> 
> Up next... some family time ahead of Thanksgiving. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this first update - I plan to finish posting this by Christmas so updates will come somewhat quickly. Let me know what you thought of this one!


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